Pakistan beat Maldives 3-0 to revive final hopes in four-nation football event

KARACHI: Pakistan’s men’s football team ended a long wait for an international victory on Thursday, defeating hosts Maldives 3-0 in the Diamond Jubilee Four-Nation Football Tournament and keeping its hopes of reaching the final intact.

Pakistan had gone into the match needing a positive result after opening its campaign with a goalless draw against Bangladesh. The breakthrough came after a scoreless first half, with the visitors taking control in the second period.

Umar Nawaz opened the scoring in the 54th minute, netting his first international goal in only his second appearance for Pakistan. The match was also his first start for the national side.

Nawaz’s route to the national team has been marked by personal loss. His brother Haris Nawaz was among those martyred in the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, while another brother, Ahmed Nawaz, was seriously injured. The family moved to the United Kingdom in 2015, where Umar began playing football before eventually breaking into Pakistan’s national setup.

Pakistan added a second goal in the 84th minute through Abdul Samad Arshad. Harun Hamid then struck three minutes later to complete a comprehensive win for the visitors.

The result was Pakistan’s first international victory over the Maldives since 1991 and also ended the team’s 961-day wait for a win in international football. Pakistan’s previous international victory had come against Cambodia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Oct. 17, 2023.

The win improved Pakistan’s position in the standings. The team now has four points from two matches after drawing with Bangladesh and beating the Maldives, leaving it firmly in contention for a place in the title-decider.

Pakistan will play Afghanistan in its final league-stage fixture on June 7. If it finishes among the top two sides in the standings, it will advance to the final scheduled for June 10.