Maldives National Football Team for their dramatic win of the SAAF Championship 2008 by Beating India 1-0

Today is a great day for the people of Maldives.

For the first time our national team has written history by becoming the Champions of the SAAF Football Championship. The Maldives National Team beat India 1-0 to become the proud champions of SAAF foot ball Championship.

Mukhtar Naseer’s goal toward the end in the 87th minute was the only goal of the match as Maldives beat India 1-0 winning their first ever SAFF Championship title in Colombo. Maldives had previously finished as runners-up twice but never won. Maldivian across the world is elated and celebrating this grand victory.

Our football players have accomplished a mission worth millions for our nation and they should indeed be hailed as national heroes.

Dhimaku congratulates the Maldives national team and all Maldivian on this historic day. yesterday night our country is crammed with heroes comprising of each and every member of our football team and of those that have helped them to achieve that we have been reaching for, for a long time . Fans are flocking to the streets of Maldives and celebrating the success wearing red, the colour that that represented our team in the final match.

The golden goal scored by Mukuthaar Naseer was a great performance for a first timer in the national team. The best player was also from the Maldives team Ali Ashfag. One Maldivian described it as, “ a dream come true”. While Male’ is the epitome of all the celebrations, the people of each and every atoll of Maldives alike is celebrating. What a great end to a lot of anticipations, highs and lows. Pure glory worth smiling for all the Maldivian alike.

The president of Maldives His Excellency Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who flew to Sri Lanka to support the National Team has declared Sunday June 14th a National Holiday in order to mark and celebrate this spectacular win.

Around five thousand Maldivian fans flew to Sri Lanka to see the match and supported the Maldives team all the way. Once again MISDD congratulates our team members, brothers and sisters and our motherland, Maldives a nation that will not sleep yester day night.