Maldives finish third in CFA International Futsal Tournament after 8-3 loss to China

The Maldives national futsal team concluded the CFA (Chinese Football Association) International Futsal Tournament in third place after losing to China 8-3 in their final match on Monday evening. China took an early lead by scoring three goals within the first six minutes, and the first half ended 3-1. Ishan Ibrahim scored Maldives' first-half goal. In the second half, Abdullah Shafi'u scored from an Ishan pass, and Ahmed Hameed secured the team's third goal from a ball provided by Imran. China led 5-3 after scoring two more goals in the second half. The Maldives attempted power play by advancing their goalkeeper up the field, but China scored three additional goals in the last five minutes to widen the gap. China won all three matches to claim the championship title. The South Korea Selection Team finished second with six points from three matches. The Maldives placed third with three points, and Hong Kong finished fourth after losing all three matches. In the tournament, the Maldives lost their opening match against South Korea 5-1, but achieved a record 7-0 victory over Hong Kong in their second match.