Maldives Coach Urubani: Beating India a Challenge, Must Play with Caution

Maldives national football team coach Istaveen Urubani has stated that defeating India in the upcoming SAFF Championship match is a significant challenge and that his team must play with great caution. Speaking to journalists after today's preparations, Urubani acknowledged that the current Indian team, while not the senior side, is highly organized and has been playing together for an extended period. He emphasized the need for a compact defense and smart defending to counter India. "We have to play with a compact defense. We worked on this during the China match as well. We must hold our ground when the opposing team plays in control. India is a young, skilled, and very organized team. There are some senior players included in this squad. ... Beating a strong India team that scores many goals is also a challenge. We have to defend smartly," Urubani said. Maldives lost their first match of the tournament to Pakistan 3-0, while India defeated Pakistan 3-2 in their opening game. For Maldives to eliminate India from the tournament, they must win by a margin of four goals in their final group match. Urubani reflected on the Pakistan match, noting that Maldives failed to utilize early scoring opportunities and that a penalty awarded to Pakistan changed the game. He questioned the decision, suggesting that a VAR review might have altered the outcome. He attributed the second goal to a defensive error by Maldives and claimed the third goal was scored by Pakistan after fouling a Maldivian defender. The coach also discussed the evolution of regional football since Maldives joined the SAFF tournament 13 years ago, stating that it is no longer possible to confidently predict a win against India. He stressed that the team must work in the best possible way and focus on building for the future. Since Urubani took charge of Maldives again, the team's only win has been against Timor Leste. The under-20 team has also failed to secure victories, and the Diamond Jubilee Tournament ended without any wins. The match between Maldives and India will take place tomorrow at 2:30 PM Maldives time.