Maziya Sports and Recreation’s captain, Asadhulla Ali, will not be able to play for the next six months due to a knee injury.

Asadhulla was injured during the the AFC Cup playoff match against Begaluru FC on February 19.

He was only able to play nine minutes that day, before being injured and carried off the field.

This is the Maziya captain’s second knee injury in the past three years. He had to undergo an operation after the 2017 injury, and was only able to get back on the field after nine months.

While the current injury was to his right knee, a Maziya official said that he requires surgery this time as well.

Hence, the official said that Asadhulla will only be able to get back in the game after about six to seven months.

While Maziya has departed to India for the second leg of the playoff, match which is to be held on Wednesday, Asadhulla joined them.

Maziya won the first leg, with a 2 – 1 score, and if they win Wednesday’s match the team will earn a spot in the group stages.

If this happens, Maziya will be in Group E and two Maldivian teams will play against each other in the AFC Cup, for the first time ever.

Maldives’ TC Sports Club is also in the group, along with India’s Chennai City and Bangldesh’s Bashundhara Kings.