Male' Maldives: Pakistan revived their hopes of reaching the final of the Diamond Jubilee Four-Nation Football Tournament with a commanding 3-0 victory over hosts Maldives on Thursday, while the defeat confirmed Maldives' elimination from the competition.
The tournament, organized to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Maldivian football, features Maldives, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. With only the top two teams advancing to the final, the result left Maldives without a mathematical chance of progressing after suffering back-to-back defeats.
Maldives had opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 loss to Afghanistan, while Pakistan and Bangladesh played out a goalless draw in the tournament's opening fixture. Afghanistan and Bangladesh then shared the points in another 0-0 stalemate, leaving all three visiting nations in contention for a place in the final heading into the final round of league matches.
For Pakistan, the victory was historic on multiple fronts. It ended a 961-day wait for an international win, with their previous victory coming against Cambodia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in October 2023. The result also marked Pakistan's first international victory over Maldives since the 1991 SAFF Games and their first-ever away win against the Red Snappers.
After being held to a draw by Bangladesh in their opening match, Pakistan entered the contest knowing that anything less than victory would severely damage their chances of reaching the final. However, despite several attacking moments from both sides, neither team managed to break the deadlock during a closely contested first half.
The breakthrough finally arrived nine minutes after the restart when young forward Umar Nawaz scored his maiden international goal. Making just his second appearance for Pakistan and his first start for the national team, Nawaz calmly found the back of the net in the 54th minute to put his side ahead.
With Maldives pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Pakistan capitalised on the spaces left behind during the closing stages. Abdul Samad Arshad doubled the lead in the 84th minute before Harun Hamid added a third goal just three minutes later to complete a convincing victory.
The defeat was another disappointing result for Maldives, who were hoping to mark the country's football diamond jubilee celebrations with a strong home performance. Despite competitive spells in both matches, the national team was unable to find the net and exited the tournament without a point.
Pakistan's victory significantly reshaped the standings and strengthened their bid for a place in the championship match. The team now has four points from two matches following the draw against Bangladesh and the win over Maldives.
Afghanistan and Bangladesh also remain firmly in contention, meaning all three visiting nations still have a pathway to the final. Pakistan will conclude its league-stage campaign against Afghanistan on June 7, while Bangladesh will also look to secure enough points to finish in the top two.
With Maldives eliminated, attention now turns to the final round of fixtures, where Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will battle for the two places available in the tournament final scheduled for June 10 at the National Stadium in Malé.
