Pakistan, who was playing its 1st game of round 2 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home, was beaten by Petar Šegrt’s boys on Tuesday as Shaheens found themselves helpless from the very beginning. Despite playing in front of more than 18 thousand away fans, Tajikistan seemed to hold its nerves till the very end and controlled the game with more than 70% possession at its disposal.
The Beginning of Thrashing
The visitors, after securing 1 point in their draw at home against a strong Jordanian side, got an early lead in the 9th minute credit to Amadoni Kamolov’s strike on the rebound. The hosts conceded another goal 4 minutes later as the Tajik center forward Rustam Soirov hit the ball past Yousuf Butt from more than 20 yards.
Also Read: Imran Kayani: The British Asian Football Sensation Joining Pakistan’s FIFA Qualifier Journey
Ray of Hope Quickly Vanished
Rahis Nabi, who conventionally plays with Alamgir Ghazi in the midfield pivot, gave some hope to home fans in the 21st minute as the 24-year-old converted the volley from outside of the penalty area, but the excitement in the stadium was short-lived. Just minutes later, the Tajik midfielder Umarbayev silenced the crowd, with his mesmerizing strike, which was up and roaring for their home side. Afterwards, there was no way back for Pakistan. Green shirts conceded 3 more goals from Šegrt XI till the referee ended their misery through the final whistle.
Pakistan vs Tajikistan – What went wrong?
The Shaheens were without their 3 main players Easah Suleiman (injured), Shayak Dost (suspended), and Rao Umar Hayat (suspended). The 18-year-old Mohib Ullah Afridi, who plays for Karachi United and was replacing Rao Umar for this game, made his debut in this crucial match, but could not save his flank from being attacked every time Tajiks made a move. Petar Šegrt, coach of Tajikistan, also confirmed in his post-match press conference that the strategy was to attack the left wing where the debutant was playing.
The Positives
Despite being thrashed by 1-6, Otis Khan, the man with the armband, looked exceptionally well as the 28-year-old threatened the opposition every time he got the ball. Another positive was the cameo done by former Pakistan under-19 captain Muhammad Saddam upon his introduction in the 63rd minute.
Pakistan will play its next competitive matches in the 1st quarter of 2024. Pakistan plans to host Jordan on March 21, 2024, and pay a visit to Amman International Stadium on March 26, 2024.
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