Bhutan’s first home game in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers ended in despair as the Maldives took away all three points courtesy 2-0 victory, yesterday.
Bhutan looked more enterprising despite the match being a cagey affair in the first 30 minutes. The Maldives set deep, soaking in Bhutanese pressure and giving Bhutan’s goalkeeper Hari Gurung with little to do.
Several crosses from Tshering Dorji went begging as Bhutan continued to attack without end result. For the Maldives, passes went all over the place and long shots were attempted with no effect as air of uncertainty filled the team.
Darren Stewart’s side, who lost their opening game 3-0 at home against Palestine, slowly started threatening the Bhutan goal, with Asadullah Abdullah’s volley missing the target in the 34th minute.
Forty minutes into the match, Bhutan team’s head coach Frank Spittler was looking forward to a positive halftime team talk. That is when disaster struck. Tenzin Dorji pushed Fasir from behind following a throw-in inside the eighteen yard box. Referee blew the whistle and Fasir converted the resulting penalty- 1-0 Maldives.
At halftime, Changlimithang became quiet and murmurs of yet another defeat at home reverberated among the spectators.
Second half was a livelier affair, with Chencho Gyeltshen having few early attempts as Bhutan pushed for an equaliser. A wonderfully crafted through ball by Captain Karma Shedrup Tshering sent Bhutan’s number seven one-on-one against the Maldives goalkeeper Mohamed Faisal. Chencho Gyeltshen firing it straight at the keeper.
Two Maldivian attempt from outside the box was acrobatically parried away by Hari Gurung. On the other end, the Bhutanese captain’s left-footed curler whisked just over the crossbar.
Then came the moment which finished the game off for Bhutan. Hamza Mohamed’s cameo down the right flank setup defender Abdullah Ahmad, who tapped in their second goal in the 75th minute.
Bhutan pushed on looking for a goal to redeem some pride but the sturdy Maldives defence held on. At full time, the Maldivian players went down on the ground praying for the accomplished mission in the Himalayas.
In a match filled with enthusiasm from the Bhutanese supporters, they were left wanting more. Perhaps a goal to talk about if not a win. Next up for Bhutan, a home game against Palestine in September, who against all odds defeated Oman 2-1 in the other group game, yesterday.
