Maldives fall short again in Asian Cup qualifiers

Maldives has faced its second defeat in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, losing 1–0 to Timor-Leste.

Yao Pedro scored the only goal of the game in the 45th minute. Timor-Leste had played intensely, but Maldives goalkeeper Hussain Shareef made several key saves.

Maldives had their chances too, most notably when Ali Fasir (Sentey) came close with a shot that was blocked by the keeper and clipped the top corner.

The result leaves Maldives without a point in Group A following their 4-1 loss to the Philippines in March. Tajikistan, the top-ranked side in the group, beat Timor-Leste in their opener and currently lead the standings.

With Maldives football league on hold, the national squad was assembled after the FAM League Cup, held as a pre-season event. The team also played a friendly against Singapore last week, losing 3–1.

Maldives’ next qualifier is against Tajikistan in October. The new season is due to begin in August.