Pakistan’s poor form continued in the ongoing Asian Cup 2024 Qualifiers as they lost against Bahrain 3-1 at the Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Bahrain on Saturday.
The Green Shirts struggled since the start of the game as Bahrain’s Syed Jawwad Haider put his side ahead of the visitors by scoring in the 25th minute.
The first half ended with the home side’s lead.
However, just three minutes after the second half started, Jawwad scored one more in the 48th minute and gave his side a comfortable two-goal lead.
The game was controlled by Bahrain’s midfield and their lead was tripled in no time as Hasan Abdul Karim scored one more for his side in the 51st minute.
Pakistan did their best to score but were always repelled by the home side’s defense.
In the 71st minute, Pakistan pulled one back thanks to the midfielder Alamgir Ghazi’s stunning strike, who scored an absolute beauty from his own half.
The Green Shirts couldn’t continue the momentum and the match ended 3-1.
Pakistan now sit last on the points table of Group D as they failed to win any match.
The Men in Green will now face Palestine in their last group-stage game on Tuesday (September 19).
Earlier, Japan thrashed Pakistan 6-0 in Group D’s first match on Wednesday.
The Green Shirts were outclassed in all departments of the game and were pinned inside their own half for the majority of the game.
Pakistan squad
Goalkeepers: Salman ul Haq, Hassan Ali and Usman Ali
Defenders: Mohammad Sohail, Mohib Ullah, Haseeb Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Sufyan, Syed Abdullah Shah, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Saeed Khan and Abdullah Iqbal
Midfielders: Mohammad Hayan Khattak, Mohammad Taha, Zaid Umar, Nizam Uddin, Alamgir Ghazi and Harun Hamid
Forwards: Shayak Dost, Moin Ahmed, Mohammad Waheed, Mohammad Waleed, Hamza Ahmed and Fareed Ullah
Officials
Shahzad Anwar (head coach), Walid Javaid (Assistant Coach), Chaudary Nouman Ibrahim (goalkeeping coach), Muhammad Shoaib (media), Zubair Abdullah (physio), Muhammad Azam (doctor), Abdul Qayyum (masseur), Osama Ahmad (team manager).