STEPHEN Constantine masterminded it, Harun Hamid delivered it — Pakistan’s football team is in dreamland at last. Finally, there is much to look forward to, a renewed hope for the future. A 33-game jinx ended, a 34-year-old curse broke with Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over Cambodia. Pakistan will enter uncharted territory next month when they play in the second stage of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. For a sport that is popular among the masses but has struggled to gain a foothold due to continuous turmoil, poor governance and political interference at the Pakistan Football Federation, this is a watershed moment. It was miraculous in the way it came. Barely 20 days ago, Shehzad Anwar — who had overseen eight straight losses in the past year — was sacked. In came the experienced Constantine. Using the same players picked by Shehzad, Constantine moulded a team; each of his charges knowing their role. The goalless draw in the opening leg in Phnom Penh raised hopes before Harun raised the roof in Islamabad with his expertly taken goal that saw Pakistan through, underscoring once again that the talent exists but coaching is lacking.

In the previous two qualifying campaigns, since the format which merges the preliminaries for both the World Cup and Asian Cup was introduced, Pakistan paid the price for being knocked out in the first round. This time, though, they have the guarantee of 12 competitive fixtures till March 2026. Far higher-ranked opposition including Asian giants Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Jordan await in the second round. When such illustrious sides come to play in the country, it will further boost the profile of football here, and support from all stakeholders, including the government, is expected. But some issues must be resolved. Constantine’s short-term contract has expired and he is waiting for the PFF Normalisation Committee to offer an extension. For what he has achieved, that is the very least he deserves.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2023