NONTHABURI, Thailand: Pakistan delivered a commanding performance to dismantle Bangladesh 5-1 in the SAFF Futsal Championship on Thursday, a result that definitively knocked Bangladesh out of title contention and solidified Pakistan’s position among the tournament’s top contenders.
The crucial Group Stage match at the Nonthaburi Stadium saw Pakistan dominate from start to finish, leaving Bangladesh’s campaign in tatters and elevating themselves to second place in the standings.
Pakistan seizes early control
Pakistan set the tone early, with Ali Agha opening the scoring in the 18th minute. The pressure continued to build, and Zahid doubled the lead in the 31st minute.
Bangladesh managed a brief flicker of hope when Fayed Azim pulled a goal back in the 36th minute, but Pakistan snuffed out the comeback attempt immediately.
Salar Ahmed Khan restored the two-goal cushion just a minute later in the 37th, and Ahid Ullah extended it further in the 40th minute.
Ali Agha put an emphatic stamp on the victory, completing his brace with Pakistan’s fifth goal mere seconds before the final whistle, sealing a comprehensive 5-1 win.
Tournament standings reshuffled
The heavy defeat sees Bangladesh drop to third in the seven-team table with 7 points from 5 matches.
Pakistan’s victory propels them to second place with 10 points from the same number of games.
The Maldives continues to lead the pack dominantly, sitting atop with 12 points from just 4 matches.
Bangladesh’s tournament journey has been inconsistent, marked by an opening 4-4 draw with India and a heavy 6-1 loss to the Maldives, followed by resilient wins over Nepal (4-1) and Sri Lanka (5-1).
Pakistan, after suffering a 7-1 defeat to the Maldives, has rebounded strongly with wins over Bhutan (4-2) and Sri Lanka (5-2), and a draw with Nepal (4-4).
Moot finale for Bangladesh
With their elimination confirmed, Bangladesh’s final group match against Nepal on Saturday, January 24, is now a dead rubber.
The focus shifts entirely to the race for the inaugural SAFF Men’s Futsal Championship title, which will be awarded to the team that finishes first after the conclusion of all seven rounds.
Pakistan, with this statement victory, has firmly positioned itself as a serious challenger behind the still-dominant Maldives.
