KARACHI: Pakistan’s men’s football team ended a 961-day wait for an international football victory with a convincing 3-0 win over hosts Maldives in the Diamond Jubilee Four-Nation Football Tournament on Thursday.
After opening the tournament with a goalless draw against Bangladesh, Pakistan entered the match under pressure to secure a positive result to keep its hopes of reaching the final alive. The breakthrough eventually came in the second half after both sides failed to score before the interval.
Young Umar Nawaz put Pakistan ahead in the 54th minute, scoring his first international goal in only his second appearance for the national team. The match also marked his first start for Pakistan.
Nawaz’s journey to the national team has been shaped by personal tragedy. His brother, Haris Nawaz, was among the martyrs of the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, while another brother, Ahmed Nawaz, was seriously injured. The family later moved to the United Kingdom in 2015, where Umar began his football journey before eventually earning a place in Pakistan’s national setup.
Pakistan doubled its advantage in the 84th minute when Abdul Samad Arshad found the net. Just three minutes later, Harun Hamid added a third goal to seal the victory for the visitors.
The result marked Pakistan’s first international win over the Maldives since 1991 and brought an end to the team’s lengthy winless run. Pakistan’s previous victory had come against Cambodia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Oct. 17, 2023.
The win strengthened Pakistan’s chances of reaching the tournament final. The team will conclude its league-stage campaign against Afghanistan on June 7. If Pakistan remains among the top two teams in the standings, it will advance to the final scheduled for June 10.
Pakistan now has four points from two matches after drawing with Bangladesh and defeating the Maldives, placing itself firmly in contention for a place in the championship match.
