Maldives maestro Ali Ashfaq scored six goals to demolish hapless Sri Lanka 10-0, a new Saff Championship record at the Dasarath Stadium yesterday. The previous record also belonged to Maldives, who routed Afghanistan 9-1 in Karachi in 2005.
Sri Lanka’s plans suffered a heavy blow when goalkeeper Md. Imran was sent off in the 18th minute for a foul on Ashfaq, and the islanders were left to play the rest of the match with 10 men.
Ashfaq’s skill proved too much for Sri Lanka, who conceded goal after goal in a one sided affair.
Ashfaq scored in the 21st, 45th, 51st, 53rd, 57th and 86th minutes of the match. The other goals were scored by Hasan Adu Ham, Abduallh Bashir and Ahmed Rasheed.
Ali Ashfaq is playing in his seventh Saff Championship and no other player has scored six goals in a match before. In the other match of the day, Afghanistan beat Bhutan by 3—0 with skipper Harun Fakruddin, Mustafa Hadia and Hashmatullah Khan scoring in the 37th, 75th and 87th minutes of the game.
Maldives 10-0 Sri Lanka Asfaq 21, 45+1 51, 53, 57, 86 Asadullah 5 Adhuham 75 Fashir 83 Ali Umar 85 Afghanistan 3-0 Bhutan Fakhruddin 37 Hadia 75 Hashmatullah 87
