Maldives lost Cup Glory!

India had won Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2009 after beating Maldives in Penalty Shootout (3 – 1) in the final match held at Bangabandhu Stadium at Dhaka.

From the beginning of the game Maldives kept pressure on Indian side, but the Indian team’s strategy was very positive as they were lucky without conceding a goal and keeping the score line blank until the end of 90 minutes and also in the extra period of the game.

Maldives who beat Sri Lanka 5 – 1 in the semi-final of the tournament was not in the best form throughout the game, but the countless goal scoring chances were created by the tiny Islanders and overall the match control was on Maldives side.

India who played a defensive game got a golden opportunity to win the match on extra period, but the skipper Sushil wasted the open chance in front of the goal. In the other hand Maldives would have won the match if their open chances in the game were converted in to goals, most noticeably the chances fallen to Thariq and Ashfaq even in the dying minutes of the game.

After the goalless draw in the penalty shootout, India decided to take the first penalty and Jibon, Denzil and Subodh got their target but Nirmal fired his one wide.

From four penalties Maldives win only the one scored by Ibrahim Fazeel, while Tahriq and Mukhthar saw their penalties saved by Arindam and Ashfag flies his chance over the bar.

Ahmed Thariq (Maldives), Channa (Sri Lanka) and Enamul (Bangladesh) were the joint Top scorers of the tournament with 4 goals. And Indian keeper Arindam who played in four games of the tournament and achieved 100% clean sheet was awarded to the Most Valuable player of the tournament.

India team who became the Champions of Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2009 extends their record in the regional tournament as winning the 5^th title out of 8 played since 1993. Also this years’ tournament has built another record to India as to clinch a title with the least number of goals scored in a tournament. India scored only 3 goals in five matches but it should be noted that India had conceded only 2 goals in five matches.

Maldives scored 11 goals in this tournament while conceded 3 goals in five matches.

Foreigner in Kinbidhoo arrested on charges of trying to spread Christianity

A foreigner who had visited Thaa atoll Kinbidhoo was arrested on Friday on charges of trying to spread Christianity.

A resident of the island said that the man named David was from the UK and that Police had arrested him after entering the house where was staying. Some books on Christianity were also confiscated from his room during the arrest, the resident said. He further said that the man, who could speak fluently in Dhivehi, was a very friendly man who got along very well with the residents of the island and was held in high regard.

He also said that most of the residents weren’t sure exactly what he was doing in the island.

“He would give different answers to different people when asked,” the resident said. “Sometimes he would say that he was doing export business in Maldives. Other times he would say he was from the Red Cross. He has introduced CDs containing information about Christianity to some of the residents of the island.”

Six taken into Police custody in Dhidhdhoo during disturbance near DRP “jagaha”

Six people were arrested by the Police during a disturbance that occurred in Haa Alifu atoll Dhidhdhoo when some people tried to take apart the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) “jagaha” (camp) near the island’s harbor area and were confronted by the group manning the camp.

A Police Media Official said that six people were taken into Police custody in Dhidhdhoo “in order to keep the peace” during a confrontation between the two groups. The Official said that all six were released after being cautioned.

The leader of the DRP camp, Mohamed Naseer Nasru, said on Monday that the camp had been taken apart by a group of MPD people who said that plots of land were being given out from the harbor area. He said that when those inside the jagaha had refused to leave, they had been arrested by the Police.

Dhidhdhoo Councilor Ahmed Shareef said that no one had been authorized to set a political camp in the harbor area and that the land belonged to the Government. He further said that the area was a commercial zone and plots of land from there were being distributed now. He further said that there were no structures belonging to anyone in the area and stressed that no “incidents” had occurred in the area either.

According to Naseer, they had set up the DRP camp in the area without asking for permission because many such places had already been constructed near the harbor area of the island.

“If our camp was taken apart then they would have to destroy the other such structures in the area too, that’s all I’m saying,” he said. “There is no justification for this; it’s just plain unfair. We asked them not to take the place apart as we are willing to pay the rent for it.”

He said that many DRP and MDP supporters had gathered in the area when the camp was being destroyed.