MALE: Pakistan’s spirited resistance went unrewarded as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh at the National Stadium on Tuesday in their SAFF U-20 Championship Group ‘B’ clash, a scoreline that scarcely reflected the balance of play.

The Pakistan men’s under-20 side matched their opponents with intensity and discipline for long stretches, producing a determined first-half display that kept Bangladesh at bay and suggested the contest could swing either way.

The breakthrough arrived five minutes after the interval when debutant Ronan Benjamin Sullivan converted a free-kick in the 50th minute to hand Bangladesh the lead.

Pakistan responded with renewed urgency and briefly believed they had restored parity when Najeebullah headed home in the 60th minute, only for the effort to be ruled out by the referee.

The setback proved costly. Seven minutes later, Sullivan struck again with a composed finish to double Bangladesh’s advantage, effectively putting the result beyond Pakistan despite their competitive showing.

The defeat leaves Pakistan facing a must-win encounter against India on the 26th, while also needing India to overcome Bangladesh to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026