MAURITIUS: Djibouti emerged victorious in the four-nation tournament held in Mauritius, delivering a dominant 3-1 triumph over Pakistan, who failed to secure a win throughout the tournament.
Djibouti set the tone for the match with an impressive start, as Dooualeh M. Elabeh found the back of the net in the 10th minute. Despite several opportunities, Pakistan struggled to equalize, allowing Djibouti to maintain a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
In the second half, Djibouti intensified their attack and tested Pakistan’s defense with relentless pressure. Their persistence paid off when Gabriel Dadzie capitalized on a costly error by goalkeeper Saqib Hanif, extending Djibouti’s lead to 2-0 in the 73rd minute.
Pakistan briefly rekindled their hopes when Hayat Mohammad Umar scored in the 84th minute, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. However, Djibouti swiftly responded as Samuel Akinbinu struck just a minute later, reclaiming a comfortable 3-1 lead.
Pakistan’s Entry into Tournament
With their commanding victory over Pakistan, Djibouti clinched the four-nation tournament title, surpassing Kenya, the highest-ranked team in the competition (ranked 102nd). Notably, Pakistan entered the tournament as the lowest-ranked side at 195, while hosts Mauritius and eventual winners Djibouti held positions 180 and 193, respectively.
Following their campaign in the four-nation tournament, the Pakistan men’s football team will make their return to the SAFF Championship. Having missed the last two editions, Pakistan has been drawn into Group A alongside India, Kuwait (invitee), and Nepal. Group B consists of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lebanon, and Maldives.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) faced financial constraints, preventing them from participating in the 2015 edition held in India. Subsequently, the national team was unable to compete in the 2021 edition due to a FIFA suspension, which was lifted in June last year.
