Pakistan secured their second consecutive victory at the SAFF U-17 Championship, beating Maldives 5-2 in a group stage match at the Racecourse Ground in Colombo.
Mansoor Ahmad was the standout player for Pakistan, scoring a first-half hat-trick. He opened the scoring in the 12th minute, added a second goal in the 32nd, and completed his treble with a penalty in the 45th minute.
Maldives briefly narrowed the gap with a goal from Ali Ilaan in the 42nd minute. However, Muhammad Abdullah responded for Pakistan with two goals of his own—one from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time and another from a well-executed play in the 61st minute. Mohamed Shayan Shifau scored for Maldives in the 71st minute, but Pakistan maintained control to win the match.
This victory follows Pakistan’s win against Bhutan, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals. With six points from two matches, Pakistan will now face their rival India in their final group game on Monday.
