Shayek Dost’s stunning overhead kick and Harun Hamid’s solo strike late on helped Pakistan end a 74-year wait for a football tournament title as they beat Afghanistan 1-0 in the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament in Male on Wednesday.

In front of fans waving the national flag and chanting “Pakistan, Pakistan”, an airborne Shayek showed supreme athleticism to score the opening goal before Harun sealed victory deep in stoppage time, marking it the first time ever that Pakistan have won the final of a stand-alone football tournament.

The Shaheens’ previous tournament triumph, way back in 1952 at the Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament, was decided on a league basis that saw them share the trophy with India.
The last time that Pakistan, who have won gold four times at the South Asian Games, had reached a final of a tournament was back in 1962 at the Merdeka Cup.

Afghanistan, who Pakistan had beaten 2-0 in their last round-robin encounter to finish top of the standings, made a strong start but the Shaheens regrouped.

Otis Khan was menacing down the left and after he won a free-kick, Pakistan took the lead in the 24th minute. Afghanistan failed to clear and the ball was then crossed in from the right with Otis’ miskick reaching Shayek on the bounce and thestriker acrobatically found the back of the net.

The goal gave Pakistan the opportunity to stamp their authority on the proceedings and although Afghanistan tried to come back and struck the crossbar in first half injury time, they went into the interval with the lead intact.

Pakistan, who were unbeaten in their run to the final, began the second half with purpose and Adil Nabi struck the bar almost immediately after the restart.

Nolberto Solano’s charges soon turned on the style with some intricate passing moves as fresh legs were introduced but the contest got increasingly fraught as the clock winded down.
Pakistan had a clear cut chance to put the game to bed with nine minutes left but Ali Shah shot straight at the goalkeeper.

At the other end, goalkeeper Saqib Hanif led a watertight defence and Pakistan closed out a historic victory when Harun Hamid struck late on. The winger, on as a substitute, went one way and then the other to leave an Afghanistan defender on the floor before tucking in off the post. It was the cue for Pakistan’s celebrations to begin as the team won a third game in a row to seal the title.

PFF PRESIDENT SYED MOHSEN GILANI CONGRATULATES NATION, DECLARES VICTORY HIGH POINT OF HIS TENURE

“When I took over as President of the Pakistan Football Federation, I had vowed we would do things that had never been done before. First, it was our women’s national team at the FIFA Series and now it is our men’s national team.

“From not having an elected federation for so many years to winning our first final at a stand-alone football tournament, we have come a long way in the space of one year, and this is another step in our journey to change the landscape of Pakistan football,

“ said the PFF chief and added: “This is the day that Pakistan football has announced itself to the world that it has the desire, the courage and the will to persevere and ultimately deliver on the international stage.

“To move forward, you always need a starting point and this triumph for men’s national team will hopefully be exactly that. This is the highest point of my tenure so far and it will herald a new beginning as we pledge to rewrite the history of the sport in Pakistan.

“To the men who have created history, to everyone who has contributed to it, we will continue to provide you with the tools to ensure you raise Pakistan’s flag at the world stage. This is just the start,” Mohsen Gilani concluded.

Umar, Harun fire Pakistan into Diamond Jubilee Cup final

 Pakistan beat Afghanistan 2-0 in final round-robin fixture in Maldives

 Victory sends Pakistan to the final of a stand-alone football tournament after 64 years

LAHORE: Umar Nawaz’s early strike and a late goal by Harun Hamid gave Pakistan a 2-0 victory over Afghanistan and sent Nolberto Solano’s men through to the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament in the Maldives on Sunday, with the win sealing top spot for the Shaheens in the round-robin stage of the four-nation event.

This is the first time that Pakistan, who have won football gold at the South Asian Games four times, have reached the final of a stand-alone football tournament since the 1962 Merdeka Cup, where they ended runners-up to Indonesia. Their last tournament triumph dates to a decade prior to that when they were joint-winners of the Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament alongside India.

Coming off a 3-0 victory against the Maldives — the national team’s first win after 961 days, Pakistan needed just a draw to book their place in the final.

A dream start was delivered by Umar in the fifth minute; the striker side-footing home first-time an enticing low cross from fellow frontman Shayek Dost on the left.

The goal helped Pakistan stamp their authority in the opening exchanges with Afghanistan, coaches by former Pakistan coach Jose Antonio Nogueira, finding it difficult to penetrate deep into the opposition half.

With Shayek, Umar and Otis Khan being willing runners up top, and Haris Zeb and Fazal providing width, there remained ever-present danger for Afghanistan.

Otis sent Easah Suliman clear with a delightful diagonal past the half-hour mark but the defender shot over the bar from outside the box.

Afghanistan had a chance to level in first-half injury time when skipper Omid Popalzay struck the bar with a free-kick and it saw Pakistan go into the interval with the lead.

Afghanistan needed to win to be absolutely sure of reaching the final and they came at Pakistan at the start of the second half but it was Nolberto Solano’s men who came closest to scoring when Shayek’s delightful dink on the hour mark sent Ali Agha free but the midfielder shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat. At the other end, the Afghans had a chance when Omid Mosawi headed wide.

Clearcut chances were few and far between as the clock ticked on until Harun Hamid scored with a rasping drive after being sent through by Adil Nabi in the first minute of injury time to send Pakistan into the title clash against either Afghanistan or Bangladesh on June 10.

PFF president hails national men’s team for ending 64-year wait

Pakistan Football Federation president Syed Mohsen Gilani has congratulated the national men’s team on ending the long wait for a final berth in a stand-alone football tournament.

Nolberto Solano’s charges reached the final of the Diamond Jubilee Football Tournament in the Maldives with a 2-0 win over Afghanistan on Sunday, marking it the first time the national team has reached the final of a tournament since the 1962 Merdeka Cup.

“We have waited for this day for over six decades and I would like to congratulate our team for delivering a result that our fans have long been waiting for,” said Mr Gilani. “This is a sign of growth, hard work and dedication and we will continue to strive to ensure that results like these become the norm rather than an exception.”

Pakistan showed immense grit and determination before they eventually fell to a narrow 2-1 loss to Russia in their clash of the UEFA Under-16 Development Tournament in Shymkent, Kazakhstan on Monday.

Mohammad Essa’s men fell behind early but levelled the scores in the second half through Shahraz Khan after good work by Danish Masih, only to be reduced to 10 men after which Russia capitalised.

“It was a much-improved performance after [the 4-1 loss against] Kazakhstan,” said head coach Essa. “We fought for every ball, we went for every tackle. It is a result that gives us a lot of heart heading into our last game of the tournament against Azerbaijan.”

Essa had vowed that Pakistan will give Russia a tough time and his charges did not disappoint even after their opponents took a seventh-minute lead through Aleksandr Braginets’ low drive from the right.

The Pakistan defence held firm after that with goalkeeper Naveedullah proving to be a commanding presence in the box to keep the Russians at bay.

At the other end, Muhammad Hanzala had Pakistan’s best chance close to the end of the first half when he superbly skipped past a player, only to see his effort parried away by Russia goalkeeper Arseniy Rihelgof.

Pakistan came back with renewed purpose in the second half and equalised in the 50th minute when Danish won a superb header which Rihelgof could only pull back into the path of an onrushing Shahraz.

With the goal giving them much-needed momentum, Pakistan poured forward only for midfielder Essa being shown a second yellow card in the 72nd, a minute after which eventually Russia bagged the clincher through Maksim Ivanov.

The scoreline at the end might not have been in Pakistan’s favour but for the players, who almost went toe-to-toe with much-fancied Russia, it was a massive learning opportunity.

“We are thankful that the Pakistan Football Federation under president Syed Mohsen Gilani has given us this opportunity to play in a UEFA tournament and ultimately against Russia,” said Danish. “This will significantly help us grow further.”

Goalscorer Shahraz had similar views. “We are very grateful for this opportunity, and at such a high level. We wanted to put up a solid performance against Russia and we were almost there today.”

LAHORE: Syed Mohsen Gilani, President of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), has thanked Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for his strong support in promoting football and launching talent hunt programs, saying the armed forces are playing a decisive role in discovering young talent and shaping the future of the game in the country.

Speaking during a meeting with Pakistan’s Under-16 national football team, which is participating in the UEFA Development Tournament for the first time, Mohsen Gilani said Field Marshal Asim Munir is a sports-loving personality who has shown keen interest in youth development through sports.

He added that the Director General Army Fitness and Sports Directorate has successfully implemented the talent hunt program, helping identify promising players from the grassroots level. Gilani said it is the federation’s responsibility to provide opportunities to talented youngsters and ensure their progress.

The PFF President said the federation will continue working with the support of the Army for Pakistan’s participation in major international events and for the overall development of football in the country.

He added that tournaments like the UEFA Development Tournament are excellent learning platforms where young players can improve their skills and gain valuable experience.

On the occasion, Pakistan Under-16 team coach Muhammad Essa said that participating in the UEFA Development Tournament was no less than a dream come true.

“I represented Pakistan for 20 years but never got an opportunity to play in a UEFA event,” he said, adding that for the first time, talented young Pakistani players are getting the chance to compete in a UEFA tournament.

Lahore: The Pakistan U-16 Boys’ National Team has officially departed for Kazakhstan to compete in the UEFA U-16 Boys Development Tournament 2026.

This marks the first time in history that a Pakistani squad will participate in a UEFA-sanctioned event, signaling a new era of international integration for the country’s youth football.The tournament is scheduled to take place from April 24 to April 30 at the prestigious Namys Stadium within the Biik Sports Complex.

The 19-member squad, meticulously scouted by the national coaching staff, left from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, and is expected to arrive in Almaty tonight. The tournament features a high-caliber lineup, with Pakistan set to test their mettle against host nation Kazakhstan, alongside footballing powerhouses Russia and Azerbaijan. The schedule for the “Young Shaheens” is as follows: April 25: vs. Kazakhstan, April 27: vs. Russia, April 30: vs. Azerbaijan.

Syed Mohsen Gilani, President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), hailed the trip as a “major breakthrough” and a cornerstone of the PFF’s long-term vision.”Access to European competition at this level has historically been out of reach for our young players, and that is a gap we are determined to close,” Gilani stated.

“The U-16 age group is where footballers begin to define themselves. You cannot build world-class players by keeping them local. This platform is vital for providing our boys with the character-testing environment they need to understand international standards.”

Gilani further emphasized that this participation reflects the PFF’s strengthening ties with global football bodies and its commitment to creating structured pathways from grassroots to elite levels.

The tournament serves as an invaluable learning platform, offering the squad exposure to the technical and tactical sophistication of UEFA-affiliated nations. For the coaching and support staff, it offers a benchmark to measure domestic talent against international excellence, laying a foundation for future qualification cycles.

OFFICIAL 19-MEMBER SQUAD ; 
Goalkeepers: Samar Razzaq, Naveed Ullah

Defenders: Muhammad Alam, Hamza Amjad, Maqbool Ahmed, Nadeem Hussain, Abdul Raheem Elahi, Syed Manzar Shah

Midfielders: M. Mustafa, M. Essa, Sagar Mehrban, Haroon Rasheed, Shahraz Khan, Abdul Samad, Hamza Yasir, M. Hanzala

Forwards: Danish Masih, M. Rafay, Kaleem Ullah.

By Nawaz Gohar ;  In what could arguably become the most significant diplomatic and athletic milestone in the nation’s sporting history, Pakistan and World Champions Argentina have entered preliminary high-level discussions to stage an international friendly.

This potential “Clash of Ambitions” isn’t just about ninety minutes on the pitch; it is the centerpiece of a burgeoning technical alliance aimed at revolutionizing Pakistan’s footballing DNA.

The seeds of this collaboration were sown during a high-profile virtual summit facilitated by the Pakistan Embassy in Argentina. Under the stewardship of Ambassador Hassan Afzal Khan, the meeting brought together PFF President Syed Mohsin Gillani and AFA Marketing Director Francisco Lemmi.

The catalyst for this sudden momentum? The recent launch of “AFA Pakistan”, a strategic initiative designed to integrate Argentine footballing expertise into the local ecosystem.

While the prospect of facing the Albiceleste has captured the imagination of fans, the core of the dialogue focuses on sustainable infrastructure. Sources close to the negotiations reveal a multi-tiered framework:

Technical Knowledge Transfer: Implementing Argentine coaching philosophies within Pakistan’s domestic tiers.
Expert Exchange: Structured programs that could see elite Argentine technical directors visiting Pakistan.
Long-term Synergy: A commitment to moving beyond “one-off” events toward a permanent developmental partnership.

The audacity of this move cannot be overstated. For decades, Pakistan football has operated in the shadows of the AFC’s lower rungs. By engaging with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Mohsin Gillani isn’t just looking for a match; he is looking for a blueprint.

The logistical mountains, scheduling, security, and FIFA windows, are steep. The proposal suggests a window following the FIFA World Cup, which gives the PFF time to elevate local standards to a point where such a fixture becomes a contest, not just a spectacle.

If Gillani can turn this ‘preliminary talk’ into a signed contract, it will be the most successful piece of sports diplomacy this country has seen in a generation. We aren’t just inviting a team; we are inviting a culture of excellence.”

Despite the optimism, officials from both federations remain cautious, emphasizing that talks are in the “early gestational” phase. Coordination remains ongoing to ensure that any formal announcement is backed by solid logistical guarantees.

For the Pakistani football fan, however, the mere image of the Green Shirts sharing a pitch with the world’s elite represents more than a game, it represents a seat at the global table.

Pakistan made a sizzling start to their FIFA Series campaign with a record-breaking 8-0 victory over the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Stade Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan on Thursday.

Four goals by four different scorers in the first half set the tone for Adeel Rizki’s side before two more players got their names on the scoresheet as Pakistan surpassed their previous-best victory — 7-0 against the Maldives in September 2022.

Pakistan made their attacking intent clear from the very beginning when Mariam Mahmood, fresh from winning the Welsh league title with Wrexham Women, struck the side netting with a shot from an acute angle inside the first four minutes.

After Nadia Khan tested Turks and Caicos goalkeeper Archenie Desir with a shot from long range, Pakistan opened the scoring in the 10th minute with Zahmena Malik finding the back of the net.
It was 2-0 two minutes later, Aqsa Mushtaq slotting in after a rebound after Mariam had forced a save from Desir.

Pakistan continued to press with midfield metronome Layla Banaras showing her quality when she made it 3-0 with a weaving run and smart finish just past the half hour mark.
In a game where Pakistan had pinned their opponents in the opposing half for almost the entirety of the match, Mariam got on the scoresheet in the 38th when she expertly volleyed in a cross at the back post.

Pakistan continued in the same vein in the second half, Nadia planting a perfect header to a cross from the left in the 56th to make it 5-0. Aqsa scored a pearler to make it 6-0 in the 76th before Layla also got her second with a perfectly-placed shot from outside the box. Isra Khan’s goal in the 81st completed the record-breaking triumph.

Islamabad: Pakistan football team concluded their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a spirited yet disappointing 2-1 defeat against Myanmar at the Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Coached by Nolberto Solano, Pakistan displayed resilience and attacking intent, particularly in the first half, but defensive lapses in the second period proved costly.

The result leaves Pakistan with two points from six matches in Group E. Pakistan began the match brightly and created the first clear opportunity midway through the opening half when captain Alamgir Ghazi unleashed a powerful long-range effort that forced a fine save from Myanmar goalkeeper Zin Nyi Nyi Aung.

Moments later, another promising move saw Ali Uzair head the ball across goal from the far post, but Shayak Dost was unable to apply the finishing touch. Despite finishing the first half on top,

Pakistan suffered a setback immediately after the restart when goalkeeper Saqib Hanif failed to deal with a back pass, allowing Myanmar to take the lead. The visitors doubled their advantage around the hour mark, as Than Paing capitalized on a defensive lapse, breaking the offside trap to convert a low cross from the right.

Pakistan, however, refused to surrender and continued to press forward in search of a breakthrough. Their persistence paid off in the 90th minute when Shayak Dost rose to head home a precise cross from Tufail Shinwari, marking Pakistan’s first goal since Etzaz Hussain had scored against Afghanistan away from home.

The late goal injected renewed energy into the home side, who were reduced to ten men after Junaid Shah was forced off with an injury after all substitutions had been used. Despite a spirited finish, Pakistan were unable to find an equalizer as Myanmar held firm to secure victory.

The result sees Myanmar finish second in Group E with 12 points, behind Syria national football team, while Pakistan’s campaign ends with valuable lessons and glimpses of promise for the future.