India vs Maldives Prediction & H2H Stats 11 November 2026
🔊 India will face the Maldives in the final match of Group B at the 2026 SAFF Cup. The Indian federation sent a separate young squad to the tournament rather than the senior national team. It is led by Naushad Moosa, who normally coaches the U23 national team. Meanwhile, the senior team under Khalid Jamil are preparing for friendlies against New Zealand. Nevertheless, India began the tournament with a win over Pakistan, while the Maldives lost to them 0-3.
India dominate the head-to-head record
📊 India have won four and lost one of their previous five matches.
Head-to-head statistics India - Maldives
India: a young team with strong attacking potential
India began their title defence with a 3-2 win over Pakistan. Naushad Moosa’s side built a comfortable lead in the first half, making it 3-0 by the 31st minute. However, India could not add to their lead after the break and conceded twice in stoppage time. The head coach specifically highlighted the need to improve concentration and game management in the closing stages. Even so, the opening match showed that the young side can create plenty of chances and make good use of space in the opposition’s defence.
It is important to note that this is neither India’s senior national team nor a full U23 side in the strict age-group sense. The federation sent a second-string squad to the SAFF Cup because the senior team, led by Khalid Jamil, are spending the November FIFA window in New Zealand. Moosa’s squad also changed after the first match: Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco joined Jamil’s squad, while Farukh Choudhary, Noufal and Hmingthanmawia Ralte were released to return to Mumbai City. The coaching staff will therefore have to adapt the squad to these changes. India nevertheless retain an advantage in individual quality over their next opponents.
Match Results: India
Maldives: losing streak and defensive problems
The Maldives go into their final group match after a heavy defeat to Pakistan. They conceded three times in the first half and failed to score. Before that, they lost to Lebanon (0-6), Kyrgyzstan (0-5) and China (0-3). The Maldives have therefore lost their last four matches in a row, scoring no goals and conceding 17. They regularly make mistakes when defending their penalty area and struggle to deal with opponents’ quick attacks.
István Urbányi coaches the national team, while experienced defender Samo Ali wears the captain’s armband. Ali Fasir plays an important role in attack and can operate in several positions across the front line. However, the team’s current form offers little cause for optimism. Against the more technically skilled India, the visitors will have to spend most of the match defending and rely on occasional counter-attacks. If the Maldives again allow their opponents to take control quickly, a repeat of the Pakistan match is entirely possible.
Match Results: Maldives
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Each team has played only one match in the current tournament, so the sample size is still too small for a reliable comparison of disciplinary records. Nevertheless, Maldives will need to give their all, as only a win will keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. However, this is a friendly tournament, so my pick is Under 4.5 total yellow cards.
⚽ Goals Prediction
India conceded two late goals against Pakistan in their opening match, but Maldives are currently having far more serious problems in attack. The visitors have failed to score in their last four matches, losing them by an aggregate score of 0-17. Even with the changes to India's squad, Maldives will struggle to create chances regularly at the other end. The preferred option is to back the visitors not to score. Bet: Maldives to Score - No - 1.95*.
*Odds are indicative and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
⭐ Editor's Prediction
India are not fielding their first-choice side, but they have already shown good attacking potential against Pakistan. After the first round, the team lost several players who joined Khalid Jamil's senior national squad, so their current selection of players cannot be judged by the original 28-man squad list. Nevertheless, the Maldives are in a serious slump: four consecutive defeats, 17 goals conceded and none scored. The visitors must push forward to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive, which could open up more space for India's attacks. Final bet: India Team Total Goals - Over 2.5. Correct score prediction: 3-0.
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