And that is it for now as the referee blows the whistle for half time.

A completely dominant showing from India, which is sitting comfortably in the top spot in Group B. Maldives has had a couple of moments but has not looked like scoring. It will have a mountain to climb if it hopes to qualify for the knockout stage.

Macarton Nickson goes into the book for a shove on Hassan Eenaaz inside Maldives’ box.

Three minutes of added time to be played in the first half!

Suhail Bhat scores!

He stands over the spot and sends the goalkeeper the wrong way before tucking the ball into the bottom left corner.

Goal number three for the Mohun Bagan youngster in this tournament.

Abdul Rabeeh wins a penalty!

The young NorthEast United defender wins the ball off Yoosuf and makes his way into the box before being wiped out by Yoosuf, who was looking to make amends.

The referee immediately points to the spot.

A long ball is played forward for Maldives’ Ibrahim Hassan. But Uvais manages to track back and win possession.

At the other end, Suhail Bhat is played through on the right side of the box. He races into the area and takes a shot at near post which is palmed away for a corner by Shareef.

India just needs to walk away with a point to ensure that it finishes above Pakistan in Group B.

But surely Noushad Moosa will be eager for his team to make a statement in their hunt for a record-extending 10th title.

The Indian men’s football team will take on New Zealand in an international friendly at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Thursday.

This will be the first of the two friendlies between the two sides in this international window to mark 100 years of connection between the two nations through sport.

Khalid Jamil has named a much-changed squad for the friendlies from the last window, where India played Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.

Captain and senior goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was dropped from the squad, while Som Kumar, Ricky Meetei Haobam, Lalremtluanga Fanai and Tomba Singh Haobam have all earned call ups.

Bijoy Varghese, Muhammad Suhail and Liston Colaco have left the ongoing SAFF championship, where India is fielding a second-string side, to link up to the senior for the two friendlies.

While India is ranked 138 in the world, New Zealand is 88th.