Sangeli made a strong start to their Resort League 2026 campaign, defeating Ailafushi 7–1 in their Group C opening match in the North Male Zone.

Sangeli dominated the first half and went into the break with a 4–0 lead. They continued their attacking display after the restart, adding three more goals, while Ailafushi managed to score once in the opening minute of the second half.

Abdulla Zameen led the way for Sangeli with a hat-trick, while Mohamed Javidh scored twice. Hussain Azmathu and Mail Mohamed also found the net once each.

For Ailafushi, Shamweel Ibrahim scored their only goal of the match.

Ailafushi were reduced to 10 men late in the game when Ahmed Reehaan received a red card in the 39th minute of the second half.

Zameen capped his impressive performance by being named Man of the Match.

The Resort League 2026, hosted by Bandos Maldives, is being played from 11 to 28 September, featuring 15 teams across four groups. The top two teams from Groups A, B and C will qualify for the next stage, with group winners advancing directly to the quarter-finals. In Group D, the second- and third-placed teams will play a playoff for the remaining quarter-final spot.