Pakistan secured a place in the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship 2026 with a commanding 3–0 victory over the Maldives in their Group B encounter at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.
Pakistan settled the contest in the first half, scoring all three goals. Mckeal Aroon Abdullah opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the fourth minute before forward Najeeb Ullah struck twice to give his side a comfortable lead.
The breakthrough came after Pakistan midfielder Hayyaan Khattak was brought down inside the penalty area by a Maldives defender. Singaporean referee Al Badowe Ahmad A Qashah Bin awarded a penalty, which Aroon confidently converted, beating Maldives goalkeeper Hussain Shareef.
Pakistan doubled their advantage five minutes later when Najeeb Ullah finished a cross from defender Junaid Ahmed Shah. The forward then completed his brace in the 24th minute, bringing down a through ball from midfield before firing into the net with his left foot.
The Maldives showed greater attacking intent after the interval and created at least four opportunities to get back into the match. However, they were unable to find a way past Pakistan’s defence. Pakistan also had chances to extend their lead but could not add to their first-half tally.
The result marks another significant chapter in the recent rivalry between the two sides. It took Pakistan 35 years to defeat the Maldives in football, ending that long wait with a 3–0 victory in Malé during last June’s Diamond Jubilee International Tournament. Just four months later, Pakistan have repeated the same scoreline on neutral ground in Dhaka. This is first time Pakistan won against Maldives in a SAFF Championship.
Pakistan’s latest victory is particularly notable as they were without several key players who were not released by their clubs, with the SAFF Championship taking place outside the FIFA international window. The Maldives were also missing important players because of injuries.
Pakistan had opened their campaign with a 3–2 defeat to defending champions and nine-time winners India on November 5. Sunday’s victory takes them to three points from two matches, with a goal difference of +2, placing them above India, who have the same number of points but a +1 goal difference.
The Maldives remain bottom of Group B without a point, with a goal difference of -3.
India and the Maldives will meet on November 11 in a decisive encounter to determine the group’s remaining semi-final place. The top two teams from each group will advance to the last four.
