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[VIDEOS/PICTURES] Why isn't Pakistan better at football?

Pakistan ‘disappointed’ after narrow loss to Myanmar

With every passing game, Stephen Constantine is drifting further away from his goal of steering Pakistan to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

A 1-0 loss to Myanmar at the Thuwunna Stadium on Tuesday means Pakistan remain winless and pointless after two Group ‘L’ matches in the final round of qualifying for Asia’s elite tournament.

A double-header against Afghanistan follows in October and their next opponents, who were playing Syria in the other group game later in the day, would be licking their lips at the prospect of competing against a side that gave a toothless display against Myanmar, especially in the first half.

“Well, to be honest right now, I’m very disappointed, especially with the first half. I think we did not live up to the expectations, especially the defensive play that we’ve shown in the first half,” Pakistan skipper Abdullah Iqbal at the post-match presentation.

“We weren’t in the shape. We didn’t dare to play really but in the second half we showed what we are capable of and that’s what we should show more because that’s what our fans deserve.

“First half I’m very disappointed with. I think it’s too bad we let the whole nation down the way we played the first half. The second was much better. I want to apologise to the fans for the first half and I hope that they see some potential we showed in the second half and hopefully we give them more joy by playing that way.”

After losing to Syria in the opening round of matches, Constantine opted for a defensive line-up but that meant frontman Fareedullah was largely isolated at the top and Myanmar found joy in the middle of the park.

The hosts dominated the ball and it paid dividends when striker Than Paing put them ahead in the 41st minute.

Myanmar were awarded a free-kick from a central position, which was lifted into the box by Mg Mg Lwin and headed into the danger area before being met on the volley by Soe Moe Kya. Goalkeeper Yousuf Butt tipped that effort onto the post but the rebound fell to Paing, who was at the goalline, to steer it in.

Pakistan came back after half-time looking for an equaliser with Constantine reshuffling his team but against a Myanmar side, coming off a victory against Afghanistan in their opener, clear cut chances were hard to come by.

The game was initially supposed to be held in Pakistan before the Pakistan Football Federation, which was busy with organising its long-awaited elections, swapped fixtures with Myanmar. Pakistan will now play the home fixture against Myanmar in March next year.

DAWN NEWS
 
This CB, Abdullah Iqbal is highly regarded in Sweden. He plays for Mjällby, who are top of the Swedish league.

In sha Allah, he’ll be the second Pakistani to play in the Champions League (after Ghayas Zind).

According to a Pakistan football news site, Championship and Serie A sides are keeping tabs on him.
 
FIFA approves Etzaz Hussain’s switch to Pakistan football team

Pakistan football has received a major boost after FIFA approved the change of sporting nationality for midfielder Etzaz Hussain, making the Norway-born player eligible to represent the Pakistan national team.

The 32-year-old Hussain, who played alongside star striker Erling Haaland during his time at Molde FK, completed the formal switch following FIFA’s confirmation this week.

Hussain had already obtained a Pakistani passport in early 2024 and had earlier expressed his desire to don the green jersey.

One of the most decorated players in Norwegian football, Hussain has won four Eliteserien league titles and three Norwegian Cups with Molde, sharing the distinction of being the club’s joint-most successful player with seven trophies.

Over his career, he has made nearly 300 professional appearances, including stints in Turkey with Sivasspor, in Croatia with NK Rudeš, in Cyprus with Apollon Limassol, and most recently with Norwegian second-tier club Odd.

Born in Oslo in 1993 to parents from Kharian, Gujrat, Hussain began his football journey at Langhus before joining Manchester United’s youth academy in 2009.

Although he did not break into the first team at Old Trafford, he described his time at United as “an experience for life.” He made his professional debut with Fredrikstad in 2011, scoring a decisive goal in the Norwegian Cup the same year.

At Molde, Hussain reunited with Ole Gunnar Solskjær and became a key figure in the club’s domestic success, scoring in both league and European competitions.

He also represented Norway at youth levels from U16 to U23 but remained eligible to play for Pakistan, having never played for Norway at senior competitive level.

With his eligibility now confirmed, Hussain is expected to bring experience and stability to Pakistan’s midfield, strengthening the squad ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

“This is a very important development for Pakistan football,” said a Pakistan Football official. “Having a player of Etzaz Hussain’s caliber and experience will inspire the team and fans alike.”

Hussain has previously expressed pride in his Pakistani roots and was honored by the Pakistan embassy in Oslo during Independence Day celebrations in 2021.





www.geosuper.tv

FIFA approves Etzaz Hussain’s switch to Pakistan football team

Hussain has won four Eliteserien league titles and three Norwegian Cups with Molde
www.geosuper.tv www.geosuper.tv
 
India beat Pakistan 3-2 in thrillling SAFF U-17 Championship encounter

Pakistan twice came from behind in an enthralling South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-17 Championship clash against India, only for their arch-rivals to go ahead for a third time and eventually clinch a 3-2 victory at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium on Monday that secured top spot in the group.

Goals in each half by Pakistan’s Mohammad Abdullah, from the penalty spot, and Hamza Yasir had levelled the Group ‘B’ clash at 2-2 by the 70th minute but India’s substitute Rahan Ahmed found the winner in the 73rd to take his side through to a semi-final against Group ‘A’ runners-up Nepal.

Pakistan, meanwhile, take on Group ‘A’ winners Bangladesh with both last-four clashes to be held on Thursday.

Both teams had already secured semi-final berths and heading into the final group game, Pakistan held the advantage by the barest of margins — on goals scored — and a draw would’ve sufficed for Nasir Ismail’s side to avoid Bangladesh, who have ousted them in the semi-final stage of each of the last two editions.


www.dawn.com

India beat Pakistan 3-2 in thrillling SAFF U-17 Championship encounter

Goals in each half by Pakistan's Mohammad Abdullah, from the penalty spot, and Hamza Yasir had levelled the Group 'B' clash at 2-2 by the 70th minute.
www.dawn.com
 

Nolberto Solano: ‘I would like to play like Klopp but you need to be realistic’​


Nolberto Solano has become accustomed to firsts. He was the first Peruvian to feature in the Premier League after he joined Newcastle in 1998, and the first to play in an FA Cup final the following year. In April 2001 he became the first Premier League player to be sent off by Mike Dean. Now, in the latest stop on a peripatetic coaching journey, the 50-year-old is hoping to lead Pakistan’s men to their first Asian Cup.

After taking the lesser trodden path from Lima to Lahore, Solano faces crucial back-to-back qualifiers for the 2027 tournament against Afghanistan, beginning at home on Thursday. Then, in November and March, come visits from Syria and Myanmar, who won the reverse fixtures. Solano, who replaced the Englishman Stephen Constantine as Pakistan’s head coach in July, is clear on his ambitions.

“My first step is that we have to be competitive and not [have] everybody thinking about playing against Pakistan: ‘Three points in the pocket.’ No! We will try to be very competitive. We have to face every challenge in front of us. We have these couple of games – we’re working really hard to get Pakistan qualified for the Asian Cup. That will be fantastic for everyone.

“I would like to play like [Jürgen] Klopp, I like [Pep] Guardiola’s style, but you need to be realistic. My philosophy is trying to build a very good team, very good team spirit. That’s very important to survive, especially when you play in the high level … We want to work really hard and with all the issues we have got we have to be together. No excuses, Pakistan this, Pakistan that.”

Those “issues” are very real. Pakistan has no domestic league structure and the elite facilities Solano has seen during his professional life are not there. In 2001, a private company proposed constructing football stadiums and starting a franchise league with tie-ups to English Premier League clubs. The former England striker Michael Owen acted as its ambassador. “Football Hoga,” – football will happen – Owen said in Urdu. But that project never fully materialised and perhaps “Football nehin hua” – football didn’t happen – would be more appropriate.

None of this bothers Solano, who says he will select from Pakistan heritage players, mainly from England, Denmark and Norway, and by scouring Pakistan for homegrown talent.

“If you search a little bit, especially in England, there’s a lot of young boys in League One and League Two in the under-21s, at teams like Blackburn Rovers and Mansfield. A lot of boys [have called or messaged, saying] they want to come to Pakistan. We will try to select the best players from around the world.

“The players who represent Pakistan always say the level of the football is really tough, especially in Asia. You have giant national teams around like South Korea, China, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar. So Pakistan needs to improve a lot to reach first, to get into this competition, and to try to compete. In Pakistan I hope the time is right so we can start working together. We like to use the phrase the people say here: ‘Inshallah.’”

Over the past four years Pakistan have incurred three Fifa suspensions, two for “undue influence from third parties” and a more recent one, lifted in March, related to concerns over “a transparent election process”. That has led to a wasted generation of talent. Solano, who has an initial one-year contract, says the positivity of Mohsin Gilani, the federation’s president since May, convinced him to take a job he feels “so proud” to have been offered.

“He wants to change football in Pakistan,” Solano says. “Of course, everything takes a time, a few years, but at the same time he told me he has belief that Pakistan can be competitive in the short term because we have a lot of young talented players around the world. It’s completely different, but I like the challenge. I like the belief, the people calling me, to trust me. We can do it. We will see what we can do in a year.”

Solano’s coaching career has taken in Peru, Canada, Sweden and England’s non-league circuit (with Blyth Spartans) before this latest assignment. He wants the level of professionalism in Pakistan to improve and says that has to come from the top, with a domestic league a priority.

“We hear about Cambodia, Oman, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia – they go professionally. It’s a lot of young [players] who I’ve been training for two and a half months. You have a lot of good talent. But unfortunately, these young lads don’t have the opportunity to became professional footballers. So it’s very important to Pakistan to engage with the responsibility to give opportunity to these guys.”

www.theguardian.com

Nolberto Solano: ‘I would like to play like Klopp but you need to be realistic’

The former Newcastle and Peru winger became Pakistan’s head coach in July and he tells Tusdiq Din he enjoys the challenge of making the team more competitive
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
In case you didn't watch the match live. Here are the highlights of the match between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I am sure you will be proud of the effort Pakistani team put in in this match, especially in the second half.

 
I read online that there was some weird selections. PFF brought in unfit players who hadn't played in years. Some are saying it's an effort to try and isolate the overseas players.

Seems like football is more corrupt than cricket
 
DeadlyVenom said:
I read online that there was some weird selections. PFF brought in unfit players who hadn't played in years. Some are saying it's an effort to try and isolate the overseas players.

Seems like football is more corrupt than cricket
Click to expand...
Kaleemullah made a comeback after 10 years. He was brought on at half time and had a decent game. As I mentioned in my earlier comment that the team played really well in the second half after all those substitution and they even won a penalty which unfortunately Otis Khan put over the bar. For me, the second half performance was probably the best by team Pakistan in the last 10 yeas or so.
 

Pakistan, Afghanistan play out second draw in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers​

AL-ARDIYA: Etzaz Hussain’s sensational field goal helped Pakistan hold Afghanistan for a 1-1 draw in their second match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers here at the Ali Subah Al-Salem Stadium on Tuesday.

The Group E fixture got off to an entertaining start as Afghanistan netted the opener just five minutes into the game, courtesy of defender Mahboob Hanifi, who precisely struck the ball past Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif.

Afghanistan’s lead, however, did not last long as midfielder Etzaz Hussain netted the equaliser in the 29th minute to help Pakistan level at 1-1.

The two teams then made several attempts to score the tie-breaker, but the scoreboard remained intact until the final whistle, resulting in them sharing a point apiece.

Despite sharing the points, Afghanistan and Pakistan remained third and fourth, respectively, with two points in four matches. The former holds the edge due to a superior goal difference.

For the unversed, Pakistan and Afghanistan played out a draw in their first leg of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers last week in Islamabad.

The Green Shirts began the game with intensity, mounting regular attacks, but were unable to breach Afghanistan’s resilient defence in the first half.

Afghanistan’s solid defensive setup successfully kept Pakistan from converting their chances.

Pakistan had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 67th minute when they were awarded a penalty. However, Otis Khan failed to capitalise, leaving the scoreline unchanged.

Despite the disappointment over missed opportunities, fans applauded both teams for their spirited display in a hard-fought draw.

Source: GEO SUPER
 
Pakistan move up one spot to 198th with 837 points in the latest FIFA Men’s World Ranking after earning 8 points from two draws against higher-ranked Afghanistan, who drop one place after failing to win either game.At the top, Spain stay No.1, Argentina climb to 2nd and France slip to 3rd.
Screenshot_20251017_211648_Chrome.jpg
 

Syria thump Pakistan 5-0 in AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier​

ISLAMABAD: Syria football team reinforced their dominance over Pakistan with a comprehensive 5-0 victory in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifying clash at Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Mohammad Al-Hallaq opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, capitalising on an assist from Zakaria Hannan, putting Syria ahead early in a game that had no bearing on the Group E standings.

The visitors, having already secured qualification to the next round with four straight wins, rotated their squad to give new players valuable international experience.

The second half saw Syria take complete control. Al-Hallaq doubled the lead in the 48th minute, followed by Yassin Samiah’s strike in the 79th minute, assisted by Mahmoud Al Mawas.

In injury time, Alaa Al Dali and Samiah added two more goals, with assists from Hasan Dahan and Anas Dahhan respectively, sealing a crushing 5-0 win.

Syria had previously defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the first leg back in March, maintaining their upper hand over the South Asian side.

For Pakistan, the loss highlighted ongoing challenges in Group E, where they sit at the bottom behind Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Asia’s 19th edition of its premier men’s football tournament, will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, featuring 24 national teams after the 2019 expansion.

Source: A Sports
 

FOOTBALL: WHAT KIND OF LEAGUE?​

The notice is out: the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) under its recently-elected chief, Mohsen Gilani, is looking for willing partners in order to launch a new domestic league.

In a public notice, the PFF has asked prospective partners to submit an expression of interest and a detailed proposal by early next month.

The big question remains, however, is whether the new competition would be based on the old model of the Pakistan Premier Football League — which had a mix of departments and smattering of clubs, and hasn’t been held since 2019 — or will it be franchise-based.

Franchise league merchants, several in number in Pakistan, will be quick to jump in; their plans have been in motion for years. The only thing lacking was an endorsement by the PFF.

For departments — many of whom have shut down their sports operations due to changing domestic policies and the decade of crisis in the PFF — and clubs, however, getting a proposal together would be more taxing. A proposal as such will also have to deliberate about the teams promoted from the last edition of the second-tier Pakistan Football Federation League, held in 2020 under the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee for the PFF.

Pakistan Football may soon get a new domestic league. But questions remain about what kind of league it will be and whether it will be what Pakistan really needs

PFF’s sense of urgency to start the league has been heightened by the visit to the country last week of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. Sheikh Salman, FIFA’s senior vice-president, reaffirmed AFC’s support for the holding of the league.

“We will offer all the support we can,” Asia’s football chief told Eos in an interview during his visit. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a pro league [at the outset] but maybe, in the future, it should be one. It will depend on the value of the market and how much we can sustain it.

“The solution is to bring the right people to guide and advise what needs to be done in your country. Each country is different from the other, so maybe a formula that is beneficial for Japan, might not work in Pakistan. If we take it step by step, we will see some difference.”

A general view of the action during a Pakistan Premier Football League match in 2016.—Dawn
The clamour in Pakistan, though, is about a franchise football league on similar lines to cricket’s hugely-popular Pakistan Super League. There has also been a prolonged infatuation with the Indian Super League (ISL) across the border, which is seemingly teetering to its end after a decade-long run. Those backing the same model in Pakistan, however, remain unflinching.

Sheikh Salman, though, had some words of advice. “It should be a proper league and not one that runs for three months,” he said when asked about taking lessons from India. “It has to be a good balance between the football aspect and the commercial side. We want to keep it hand in hand, not one taking over the other.”

THE PROBLEMS OF ISL

The ISL was launched to huge fanfare in 2014, with hopes it would take football in India to great heights. It didn’t and, instead, it stands on the verge of collapse after the All India Football Federation received no bids on its tender for a new commercial partner by last week’s deadline.

Critics of the ISL said its formation cut the pathways for the grassroots, with the franchise owners more interested in adding more glamour. The former India national team coach, Stephen Constantine — who later steered Pakistan to their first-ever victory in a FIFA World Cup qualifier — said he wouldn’t go to see an “ISL match with seven foreigners in a team.”

Constantine’s reasoning was clear: as the coach of the Indian team, he wanted to see more Indian players play. Other Indian coaches, such as Shanmugam Venkatesh, the assistant of Constantine’s successor Igor Stimac, said the ISL was more about entertainment than about developing local players.

ISL’s short duration (it eventually became a six-month event) was always a talking point. India had to overhaul its running domestic system to make space for it, and its eventual succession to become the top-tier league. Now, its very existence is at stake.

During his tenure as Pakistan coach, Constantine had expressed his constant frustration at the local players not getting enough competition. “Anything would do,” he would say. “Just get the bloody league started.”

The question remains if there will be sizeable local representation in a franchise league. Franchise owners will want a return on their investment quickly and the eyeballs they need are most likely to come through foreign players.

It all boils down to the will of the prospective franchise owners and whether they can promise investment for developing local players with the franchise league, to create the pathways for the clubs — several thousands of them spread across the country — to rise to the very top.

And unlike cricket, where the PSL was to be the crowning jewel, the cream at the top with a domestic system very much running, football in the country at this point in time needs to start at the very base of the pyramid.

THE UZBEK MODEL

Sheikh Salman spoke during his interview about being patient but making steady progress, highlighting the rise of countries such as Uzbekistan and Jordan, who secured World Cup finals qualification for the first time in their history this year.

“When you look at a country like Uzbekistan, they have won the Under-17 Asian Cup [this year] and the Under-20 Asian Cup [in 2023],” he said. “That means progress is going steady, which is great. It is good for Asian football. Tajikistan played well in the last Asian Cup and it also shows football in Central Asia is booming, but that hasn’t been the case in South Asia.”

There’s something common in both Uzbekistan and Jordan: a no fancy-frills league, but one that is sure and steady. Uzbekistan has moved beyond the ill-fated experiment of its club Bunyodkor attempting to become a ‘super club’ in 2009, when it lured Brazilian great Rivaldo.

In fact, its age-group successes that have subsequently powered the national team could well be attributed to one club: Olympic Tashkent. Owned by the Uzbek Olympic Association, it is made up entirely of youth-level players and features in the top-tier league. It acts like a nursery, while ensuring competition for top under-23 talents who would otherwise be warming the benches of bigger clubs.

LEARNING LESSONS

The decade of crisis has meant the new PFF starts with a clean slate, but with a job to not only revive the league but also the domestic cup competition. The National Challenge Cup was last held in 2024 by the Normalisation Committee, featuring departments and clubs.

It is the franchise league that has dominated the agenda, though, with an Eos investigation showing last year that officials from global football body FIFA were also involved in the plan to get it underway during the tenure of the chairman of the Normalisation Committee appointed by it.

Officials of the government seem smitten by the franchise league plan as well, and the strong possibility remains that it will soon be off the ground — the only thing to be decided being which partner the PFF will choose.

Pakistan, though, should make an informed decision on what it needs and what it will get. It should heed the lessons others have learnt the hard way.

DAWN
 

Pakistan succumbed to second defeat in AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers​

BESH KUNGEI: Pakistan suffered a gruelling 5-1 defeat at the hands of leaders Yemen in the Group B match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers here at the Dostuk Arena on Friday.

The defeat marked Pakistan's second in four matches and followed their 2-1 thrashing at the hands of Laos. The Green Shirts had made a contrasting start to the qualifying event by registering 3-1 victories over Kyrgyz Republic and Cambodia.

The West Asians got off to a commanding start to the fixture as Sailan Basheer netted the opener in just the 18th minute by beating Samar Razzaq from the penalty spot.

Yemen struck again a minute later with Ali Shafiq's curler off Basheer's corner, deflecting off the bar, hit Razzaq and went over the line.

Fahd Salah strengthened Yemen's command in the 25th minute by netting their third goal after Abdulrahman Alqufaili threaded the ball through.

The scoreline remained intact at 3-0 by the halfway mark and was eventually converted into 4-0 in the 69th minute when Salah scored again, rounding Razzaq twice before flicking the ball into the net from an acute angle.

Pakistan managed to pull one back two minutes later through Mansoor Ahmad, but their strive for a comeback was short-lived as Basheer netted his second to restore Yemen's advantage to four goals in the 82nd minute.

The resounding victory consolidated Yemen's hold at the top of the Group B standings with 12 points in four matches and a goal difference of 19. Pakistan, on the other hand, remained third with six points in as many matches and a goal difference of negative one.

The Green Shirts next face rock-bottom Guam in their last group-stage fixture, scheduled to be played at the same venue on Sunday.

Source: GEO SUPER
 
Pakistan to play in a FIFA event for the first time
Pakistan Football Federation president Syed Mohsen Gilani's mission of making dreams come true continues.

For the first time ever, a Pakistan team will feature in a FIFA event when the national women's team takes part in the 2026 FIFA Series in Cote d'Ivoire.

In what is will provide a massive boost for the women's game in the country, the national team will compete against teams from other continents, becoming a source of inspiration for young players across Pakistan.

It will be the first time the national flag will fly at a FIFA event, which itself is an achievement on part of the PFF president who has strived to give this opportunity to the team a testament to his visionary leadership.

PFF president Syed Mohsen Gilani said:
"We can dream again for a brighter, better future for Pakistan football. This is just the beginning for bigger things to come."
 
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