Maldives (Sports Desk) Pakistan has qualified for the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament being held in the Maldives, where the Green Shirts secured a historic victory by defeating Afghanistan 2–0.
With this win, Pakistan achieved its second consecutive victory in the four-nation tournament and booked a place in the final with two wins in three matches. For Pakistan, Umar Nawaz and Haroon Hamid scored brilliant goals.
This achievement marks a major milestone for Pakistan’s senior men’s football team, as the side has reached the final of an international tournament after 35 years. Previously, Pakistan last reached a final in 1991 during the South Asian Federation Games.
From the start of the match, Pakistan played an aggressive game, and in the 5th minute Umar Nawaz scored a superb goal to give the team an early lead. Pakistan maintained control of the game afterwards and did not allow Afghanistan many dangerous chances.
In the second half, Afghanistan attempted a comeback, but Pakistan’s defense delivered an excellent performance. In the final moments of the match, Haroon Hamid doubled Pakistan’s lead with a goal in injury time, securing the victory.
With this success, Pakistan not only reached the tournament final but also marked a memorable comeback in international football after several decades. The team will now face Bangladesh or Afghanistan in the final.