India 3-2 Pakistan: Suhail Bhat stars as defending champions open SAFF Championship 2026 with win
Defending champions India started with a curious win 3-2 win over Pakistan in their SAFF Championship 2026 opener in the National Stadium in Dhaka, on Thursday.
A second-string India team (many of their squad is engaged with the ongoing ISL while the first team is committed to play New Zealand during the international break) started the match brilliantly, with Suhail Ahmed Bhat a menace up front. Suhail got the scoring started with a tap-in after a lovely team move ended with Mohammed Suhail teeing up him with an excellent low cross. The centre-forward then got his second when he was sent clean through and he calmly slotted it past Pakistan goalkeeper Yousuf Butt.
Noushad Moosa's India remained firmly in control as they dominated midfield and possession, and soon Manglenthang Kipgen was played through by Noufal with the midfielder's run going completely untracked. One-on-one with Butt his hashed a chip into goal that made it 3-0.
At this point, India's biggest issue was complacency and duly they got themselves into trouble when Abhishek Suryavanshi lunged at Hayyan Khattak in the India box to concede a penalty. That chance, though, was wasted by Shayak Dost as he skied his shot from the spot.
There was a drop in intensity from India in the second half, but Nolberto Solano's Pakistan had nothing to trouble them with even as they saw more of the ball. Until, that is, stoppage time started. First, Najeebullah got on the end of a superb Junaid Shah cross and a thunderous header made it 3-1. Just a couple of minutes later, Alamgir Ghazi scored the goal of the match, teeing himself up with a delectable first touch and slamming a finish from a narrow angle, on the turn, while falling down.
The fightback, though a boost for Pakistan's confidence, came too late for the result to be affected.
Ghazi said after the match that "the first half was not good. We could have scored [with the penalty]. We were better in the second, but we scored too late." When asked why Pakistan had not trained yesterday, he said with a smile, "Our luggage was missing, that's why we didn't train." He also said that the team's "hopes are high," before adding, "we must win the second game, because all the players will come in time for the semifinal. We want to beat Maldives"
