KARACHI: Pakistan’s U-16 football team cruised into the final of the inaugural SAFF U-16 Championship after they defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in the first semi-final played in Katmandu.

Pakistan's two best players of the night Mansoor Khan and Sher Ali scored a goal each near the full-time whistle to secure a 2-0 victory for the green shirts.

In the first half, Pakistan came close to scoring at the half hour mark with Khan’s powerful shot going agonizingly close.

Bangladesh tried some counter-attacking football but Pakistan’s defense played its part well to deny them and the game opened up in the second half with both sides looking for a goal.

When Khan's beautiful free-kick hit the top of the cross bar to go out of play, extra time looked inevitable. But just before the 90 minute mark, Khan made up for the two missed chances and struck a 25 yard shot over the Bangladeshi keeper to give Pakistan the lead in the 89th minute.

Just as the Bangladeshi boys started trying for a desperate last minute push to equalize, Pakistan put the nail in the coffin and made it 2-0 through Ali. Ali dribbled past two defenders to score from a tight angle in the 92nd minute and send Pakistan into the SAFF U-16 Championship final.

Pakistan will face India in the final after India beat Nepal on penalties in the second semi-final.

Pakistan’s impressive U-16 team has won all its games and has yet to concede a single goal in the tournament.

Editorial

Updated 04 Aug, 2026

Swat bombing

IT is a bitter irony that terrorists struck a protest against violence in Swat on Sunday, causing at least 17...
04 Aug, 2026

Tariff blow

FOR an export sector already squeezed by high production costs, the additional 10pc tariff on top of the existing...
04 Aug, 2026

Perilous peaks

THE deaths of 10 climbers in an avalanche on Broad Peak is a sad reminder of the perils that many mountaineers face...
Updated 03 Aug, 2026

Farewell to arms?

PALESTINIAN resistance group Hamas recently made a major concession by agreeing to give up its weapons. It should be...
03 Aug, 2026

Unplanned future

A PROJECTION that Pakistan’s population could reach 400m by 2040 should not be treated as another dramatic number...
03 Aug, 2026

No more torture

EVEN the best laws on the books are worth little unless the state shows the willingness to enforce them. This is...