KARACHI: Pakistan concluded their AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign on a high note, defeating Kyrgyzstan 2-1 at the Sport Centre Kelapa Dua Stadium in Tangerang on Saturday.
Despite failing to qualify for the main tournament, Pakistan showcased significant improvement by winning two of their three matches, all against higher-ranked opponents.
Forward Maryam Mahmood was the standout performer for Pakistan, scoring both goals in the first half.
She opened the scoring in the fourth minute and doubled the lead with a penalty in the 26th minute. Kyrgyzstan’s Alina Gaparova pulled one back in the 69th minute, but Pakistan held firm to secure the victory.
The match statistics reflected Pakistan’s dominance, with 16 shots compared to Kyrgyzstan’s 10, and eight corner kicks against Kyrgyzstan’s four. Pakistan also led in dangerous attacks (48), underlining their approach.
Ranked 157th in the world, Pakistan’s win over Kyrgyzstan (136th) and Indonesia (ranked 95th) highlighted their progress.
Although they fell short of qualification following a 0-8 defeat by Chinese Taipei in the opening game, the team’s performances signaled a promising future for women’s football in the country.
