Huge blow for Maziya in title race

Maziya’s league title hopes suffered a blow after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Thinadhoo in the ongoing Ooredoo Dhivehi Premier League.

Both goals of this match was scored in the second half, with Mohamed Umair opening the scoring on 63 minutes before Ahmed Nooman equalized with a decent strike from inside the box moments later.

With the share of the spoils, the point takes Thinadhoo to fourth place as they are level on 12 points with Club Green Streets as they are ahead on superior goal difference.

Meanwhile, Maziya remained on third place with 20 points from 10 games, four behind the leaders New Radiant and two points behind TC Sports Club on second place. But a win for either sides could see them extend their lead over the green boys.

Maziya made three changes to the side that loss against TC Sports Club with Moosa Yamin and Qasim Samaam coming in for the injured Samooh Ali and the suspended Milos Kovacevic while Umair returned to the lineup after missing the previous game due to suspension.

It was Maziya who dominated the proceedings as they created the first few chances of the half, as Umair fired a shot straight at keeper Dzhanybekov Ruslan before he dragged another shot wide from inside the box.

In the 23rd minute, Umair can consider himself unlucky after his strike from inside the box hits the post.

Ahmed Rizuwan had had the first real chance from inside the box but his shot went straight into the gloves of Maziya keeper Mahmoud Al-Youssef on 31 minutes.

Mohamed Riswan had a glorious chance to opened the scoring on 40 minutes but he failed to connect with the cross from Jose Avila before Thinadhoo’s Ibrahim Mubeen had the best opportunity of the first half when his close range strike was cleared off the goal-line by Maziya defender Bojan Mihaijlovic moments later.

After a goalless first half, with six minutes after restart, Umair tested the keeper with a strike from outside the box as he curls his free-kick around the wall, but Ruslan makes a very good save to deny him.

Riswan had the next chance of the game on 53 minutes when he was unmarked inside the box but he failed to find a way past the onrushing Mahmoud as the keeper blocked the shot.

Just around hour mark, Keric Andrej was inches away from breaking the deadlock as his headed attempt came off the post having received a brilliant ball from Samaam.

At the other end, it was Riswan who wasted another chance as he failed to hit the target from inside the box moments later.

In the 63rd minute, Umair finally found the breakthrough they needed when he was on the end of a brilliant cross from Yasfaad Habeeb as he put them ahead with a close range header.

The lead though only lasted two minutes before Nooman made it 1-1 after taking full advantage of a poor clearance from Maziya players as his strike from inside the box found the bottom corner of the net.

Thinadhoo could have made it 2-1 with six minutes remaining but Rizuwan missed the target from inside the box as his header went wide.

A minute later, there was another chance for Thinadhoo but Riswan who had an unforgettable game, missed the target as he could only fire his shot into the side netting.

Mubeen could have snatched it late on in the stoppage-time but his strike went over the bar as the game ended in all-square again just like their last encounter in the first round.

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