Maziya Begin Cup Winners Cup Campaign with 2-1 Victory over Odi

Maziya Sports and Recreation Club made a winning start to their 2026 campaign by defeating Odi Sports Club 2-1 in the second match of the revived Cup Winners Cup at the Galolhu National Stadium on Monday night.

The competition has returned to the Maldivian football calendar after an 18-year absence, and Maziya ensured they opened their campaign with all three points in a closely contested encounter.

The match also marked the competitive debut of Maziya’s new Czech head coach, Tomas Trucha, who recently arrived in the Maldives to take charge of the club. Maziya had lifted the Charity Shield earlier this season under assistant coaches Ahmed Suzeir (Kokko) and Ibrahim Saeed (Kakaa) before Trucha officially assumed his duties.

Odi, on the other hand, were without their newly appointed Portuguese head coach, Rui Pedro Prata, who is yet to arrive in the Maldives.

Maziya broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through Nassam Ibrahim Nasir. The goal came from a rapid counterattack initiated by Ahmed Aiham (Fatho), whose well-timed pass found Nassam inside the area, allowing him to finish confidently into the far corner.

Odi restored parity in the 28th minute when Muzdhan Hassan headed home from Ahuzam Rasheed’s (Ahu) cross. Although Maziya goalkeeper Hussain Shareef managed to get a hand to the effort, he could not prevent the ball from crossing the line.

The winning goal came with 12 minutes remaining in regulation time. Ahmed Aiham controlled a pass from outside the penalty area before unleashing a precise low drive into the far corner, giving Odi goalkeeper Mohamed Ashwan no chance and sealing all three points for Maziya.

The Cup Winners Cup, first introduced in 1995, was one of the Maldives’ premier domestic knockout competitions before it was discontinued after the 2008 edition, when New Radiant Sports Club claimed the title. This year’s tournament marks its long-awaited return after an 18-year hiatus.

Earlier in the day, New Radiant announced their return to the competition in emphatic fashion with a commanding 5-0 victory over Buru Sports Club in the tournament’s opening fixture.

The competition resumes on Thursday, with Maziya set to face Buru Sports Club, while New Radiant will take on Odi Sports Club in the day’s other fixture.