Pakistan Ends Long Wait for Victory with Historic Win Over Maldives

The Pakistan football team celebrated a landmark achievement on Thursday after overcoming the Maldives in their third match of the four-nation Diamond Jubilee Tournament at the National Football Stadium in Male.

The victory carried special significance for the Shaheens, who had gone 962 days without a win in international football. It also ended a decades-long wait for success against the Maldives, a team Pakistan had not defeated since the 1991 South Asian Games.

While the final score reflected Pakistan's dominance, the contest was far from straightforward during the opening half.

Strong Start but No Breakthrough

Pakistan controlled large portions of the first half and enjoyed more possession in attacking areas. The visitors frequently pushed forward and looked the more threatening side, but they were unable to find a way past the Maldivian defense before the break.

Despite their territorial advantage, Pakistan entered halftime without a goal, leaving the match finely balanced heading into the second period.

Goals Change the Match

The breakthrough finally arrived after the restart.

Hayyan Khattak unleashed a powerful effort that troubled the Maldives goalkeeper, who failed to gather the ball cleanly. Umer Nawaz reacted quickest inside the penalty area and converted the rebound to give Pakistan a deserved lead.

The goal forced Maldives to take a more attacking approach as they searched for an equalizer. The hosts created two promising opportunities and came close to leveling the match, but their finishing let them down at crucial moments.

As Maldives pushed more players forward, spaces began to open up at the back, allowing Pakistan to capitalize.

Substitutes Seal the Victory

Pakistan's second goal arrived in the 83rd minute when substitute Abdul Samad Arshad calmly guided the ball beyond the goalkeeper to double the advantage.

Just four minutes later, another substitute made an impact. Harun Hamid saw his effort take a deflection off a defender before finding the net in the 87th minute, effectively putting the result beyond doubt.

The late goals transformed a competitive contest into a memorable night for the Pakistan Football Team.

A Major Boost Ahead of Afghanistan Clash

The result also delivered a milestone moment for head coach Nolberto Solano, who celebrated his first victory in charge of Pakistan.

Following the match, Pakistan Football Federation President Syed Mohsen Gilani congratulated the players and expressed hope that they would maintain their momentum heading into their upcoming fixture against Afghanistan.

With confidence restored and a historic drought finally ended, Pakistan will now look to build on this success and continue their progress in the Diamond Jubilee Tournament.