MALDIVES: In the opening match of the SAFF Under-20 Football Championship, Bangladesh secured a 2-0 victory over Pakistan in a thrilling encounter held at the National Football Stadium in Malé, Maldives.
The tournament features seven South Asian nations competing in a showcase of youth football talent.
According to reports, Pakistan displayed a brave and skillful performance during the first half, showing glimpses of control and determination. However, luck did not favor the team in the second half, and controversial refereeing decisions at critical moments influenced the outcome.
Bangladesh took the lead in the 50th minute when debutant Ronan Benjamin Sullivan scored from a free kick. Ten minutes later, Pakistan’s Najeebullah appeared to have equalized with a header, but the goal was disallowed by the referee. Sullivan then scored again in the 67th minute, sealing Bangladesh’s 2-0 victory.
Despite the loss, the Pakistani junior players displayed confidence, teamwork, and resilience throughout the match. The team now faces a crucial second group-stage match against their traditional rivals India on Friday.
To keep hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive, Pakistan must secure a win, as only the top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.
The tournament’s groups are structured as follows: Group A – Maldives (hosts), Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka; Group B – Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s squad for the championship includes goalkeepers Zulqarnain, Kashif, and Adil Ali Khan; defenders Zarib Haider, Abdul Khaliq, Ubaidullah Khan, Shiraz Khalid, Umar Javed, Abdur Rehman, and Majeed Ali; midfielders Zain Imran, Muhammad Shahab Ahmed, Muhammad Junaid, Ali Zafar, Mansoor Ahmed, Syed Abbas Raza Kazmi, Owais Ilyas, and Khabib Khan; and forwards Abdus Samad, Najeebullah, Sajjad Hussain, Faham Ahmed, and Muhammad Abdullah.
The team is managed by Head Coach Shehzad Anwar and Team Manager Muhammad Zaman, with support from assistant coaches Sheikh Hamdan and Muhammad Habib, goalkeeping coach Nauman Ibrahim, and physiotherapist Muhammad Abdullah Amir.
