Failing to put the ball in the net in any of the three games, Pakistan didn’t bag a single point in the entire SAFF championship. Finishing last in the group while conceding 9 goals, this is an outing to forget for Pakistan.
Thrashing From India:
Arriving in Bengaluru just 6 hours prior to the game that too in a divided contingent, we weren’t expecting a lot from this game. A delayed Visa led to a complete disruption of the entire schedule for the most important game of our player’s life. Tiring journeys, wearisome customs at the airport to endless forms, the disadvantages in Pakistan are difficult to ignore.
Nevertheless, how things unfolded after the kickoff whistle was embarrassing, stand-out failure was the brain fade moments by the second-choice keeper, Saqib Hanif. Not here to call out any particular player but rather jump into the context of the failure which dates back to the last game of the 4-nation cup against Djibouti. A dead rubber where Yusuf Butt came off the bench in the second half, only to scuff 2 goals, which ultimately made the head coach play Saqib, who was very low on game time in recent matches; thus, such mistakes were bound to happen in big games. Like these. Bengaluru Bullet was not in the mood of taking any prisoners; Chettri was quick to pounce on the opportunities given and bag a hat trick. But still, imperative revelations were made for Pakistan for the rest of the games in the SAFF championship.
Read more: PFF National Futsal Cup 2023 Comes to an Exciting End: SA Gardens and MRF Crowned Champions
Knifelike Kuwaitis and Stubborn Sherpas Nepalis:
2 goals inside 20 minutes of the game, Kuwait made sure Pakistan never stood a chance in the match. They were let to run the game easily and toy around the Pakistanis while keeping hold of the ball most of the time. Pakistan quickly lost its structure, and negative body language oozed throughout the match, with only Abdullah Iqbal trying to uplift his colleagues.
With India and Kuwait already registering 6 points on the board, Pakistan’s and Nepal’s campaign was over, but still, their pride was on the line for their encounter on the 27th. Both teams wanted to finish on a high after a not-so-good outing. A pretty even-balanced contest awaited us and was crucial for confidence for future endeavors. The scoreline was still blank until the 80th minute, with both teams creating threatening chances, only for Aashish Chaudhary to break the deadlock with an out-of-the-box screamer.
Key Takeaways:
We are still lightyears away from major success in the sport. Immediate work is required on the chemistry of the team. Players panicking on a routine set piece was an evident sight. Arguments, shouts, and Frantic calls while building the wall or picking the thrower. Such nuisances were common throughout the SAFF championship and are certainly not great in the game context.
Easah Suliman is turning out to be a great captain in the absence of Hassan Bashir. Hassan Bashir is certainly our best forward but age catching up on him is a great threat for Pakistan and Muhammad Waheed is nowhere ready to take that spot. Haroon Hamid is the talent to look out for in the next few years, with Otis Khan and Rahis gelling up nicely.
Now we pray for a swift transition into the rising action stage of Pakistan Football, where PFF plays an extremely crucial role. Get tactically strong, attain more experience on the international stage, and work on a sustainable playstyle.
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