Maldives (Sports Desk): In the Diamond Jubilee Four-Nation Football Tournament, Pakistan defeated the host nation Maldives 3-0 to taste victory in international football after 961 days.
For the national team, Umar Nawaz, Abdul Samad Arshad, and Harun Hamid scored one goal each to secure an impressive win for Pakistan.
Before the match in Malé, Pakistan had drawn their opening fixture against Bangladesh, making victory against Maldives extremely important for the national side.
Both teams failed to score in the first half, and the match remained goalless at the break. However, the Pakistani players produced an attacking display in the second half and completely changed the complexion of the game.
In the 54th minute, young forward Umar Nawaz scored to give Pakistan the lead. It was only his second appearance for the national team and the first time he had been included in the starting lineup.
Umar Nawaz’s life is a story of determination and resilience. His brother, Haris Nawaz, was martyred in the 2014 Army Public School Peshawar attack, while another brother, Ahmed Nawaz, was injured in the attack. The family later moved to the United Kingdom, where Umar Nawaz developed his football skills.
In the 84th minute, Abdul Samad Arshad scored Pakistan’s second goal to strengthen the lead, and just three minutes later, Harun Hamid added a third goal to seal the victory. Pakistan ultimately won the match 3-0.
This was Pakistan’s first international victory against Maldives since 1991 and also brought an end to a winless streak that had lasted for more than three years.
Pakistan’s previous international victory had come against Cambodia on October 17, 2023.
The national team will play its final group match of the tournament against Afghanistan on June 7. If Pakistan manages to remain among the top two teams, it will qualify for the final scheduled for June 10.