Haa Alifu atoll Dhidhoo secured a 4-2 victory against Fares-Maathodhaa in their final Group A match of the Gold Cup, clinching second place in the group stage.
Dhidhoo had already guaranteed a spot in the second round before the match and, with this win, tied on points with Dhaalu atoll Meedhoo, both teams finishing with seven points.
Fares-Maathodhaa, who ended the tournament without earning a point, had an early advantage, leading 2-0 in the first half. Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Abdel-Aati Mohamed scored a penalty, and Shaifulla Ashraf added another goal.
However, Dhidhoo’s Haisham Rasheed delivered a stunning performance in the final moments of the match. He scored twice in quick succession in the 83rd and 88th minutes, followed by a goal from Adam Naseem that put Dhidhoo ahead. Haisham completed his hat-trick in extra time, sealing the win for his team.
With this result, Dhidhoo concluded the group stage as the only team with a perfect record, winning all four of their matches and amassing 12 points.
