The Indian football team is set to take on Maldives in a friendly match on Wednesday as a preparatory outing ahead of their AFC Asian Cup qualification third-round game against Bangladesh later this month.

Having gone winless in the previous calendar year, the Blue Tigers will not only aim for their first win in 2025 but also for the first victory under Manolo Marquez.

Similar to India, Maldives are also vying for qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. They find themselves in group A alongside the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Tajikistan.

With that, let's take a closer look at India's opponents.

History

Maldives played their first international game against Seychelles in 1979. Maldives' first appearance in a continental tournament took place in the 1997 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup. They made it to the final, but lost to India.

Nicknamed Red Snappers, Maldives most significant success was their first win at the SAFF Championship in 2008, where they edged out India in the final. They won the title for the second time in 2018, beating India by a 2-1 scoreline this time.

They have 11 appearances in the SAFF Championship and two appearances in the AFC Challenge League. However, they are yet to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup or the FIFA World Cup.

Form Guide: L D L W L

Ranked 162 in the FIFA rankings, Maldives have won only one out of their last five games, which came against Bangladesh. Moreover, two of their last three defeats also came against the same opponent, once in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and later in a friendly game.

Head-to-Head record

Over the years, the Blue Tigers have maintained their supremacy over the Red Snappers. India are unbeaten in 17 out of 21 games against Malaysia, of which they won 15 times.

India's last face-off against Maldives was in October 2021, where the Blue Tigers secured a 3-1 win in the SAFF Championship group stage fixture.

Match Played: 21

India won: 15

Maldives won: 4

Draw: 2

Key Players

Ali Fasir

Aged 36, Fasir is one of the senior campaigners in the Maldives squad. Fasir scored two goals in his side's previous two games against Bangladesh. Known for his playmaking skills, Fasir could emerge as the X factor for the Red Snappers. Fasir is Maldives’ joint second-highest international goal scorer with 14 goals, tallying his numbers with Ibrahim Fazeel.

Hamza Mohamed

Hamza Mohamed plays a key role in the midfield, controlling the tempo of the game. Mohammed, who has been a regular face for Mazia S&RC, comes with the experience of playing in the continental club competitions and plays a crucial role for his country as well.

Match Details

Fixture: India vs Maldives

Date: March 19, 2025

Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong

Streaming and Telecast: JioHotstar, Star Spots 3

Related tags:

2024-2025