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November 9, 2026

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Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka
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Pakistan Beat Maldives 3-0 to Close In on SAFF Championship Semi-Finals

Faizan Altaf

Pakistan are one step away from the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship after a commanding 3-0 win over the Maldives in Dhaka on Sunday. A first-half brace from 19-year-old striker Najeebullah Bettani and an early penalty from McKeal Aroon Abdullah gave Pakistan their first victory of the tournament — and put them in a strong position to reach the last four of South Asia’s biggest football competition.

The win, at the National Stadium in Dhaka on 8 November 2026, was the perfect response to Pakistan’s narrow 3-2 defeat against India in their opening match three days earlier. Now Pakistan must wait for the final Group B match between India and the Maldives on 11 November to learn whether their semi-final place is confirmed.

How Pakistan won the match

Pakistan settled the match in the first half, scoring all three goals before the break and then holding firm in the second half.

McKeal Aroon Abdullah opened the scoring from the penalty spot early in the match, calmly converting after Pakistan were awarded a spot kick. It was the perfect start for a team that needed a win to keep its tournament alive.

Pakistan doubled their lead midway through the first half. Junaid Shah delivered an inviting cross from the left, and Najeebullah Bettani timed his run into the box perfectly, getting ahead of his marker to poke the ball home.

Bettani was not finished. Before half-time, the young striker completed his brace with a superb individual effort, bringing the ball under control on the right side before unleashing a powerful strike past the helpless Maldives goalkeeper. At 3-0, the match was effectively over.

Neither side scored in the second half, and Pakistan saw out a comfortable victory. It was a controlled, professional performance — the kind Pakistan have not always produced at this tournament.

Bettani: the 19-year-old leading Pakistan’s attack

The star of the show was Najeebullah Bettani, whose full name is Najeeb Ullah Khan Bettani. The striker, born on 2 August 2007, plays his club football for Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in Pakistan.

Bettani only received his first senior national team call-up for this tournament, after impressing for Pakistan at the SAFF U20 Championship in the Maldives earlier this year. He has made the step up look easy.

He scored on his senior debut against India on 5 November, heading home a cross from Junaid Shah. Three days later, he added two more against the Maldives. That is three goals in his first two matches for Pakistan — a remarkable start for any striker, let alone a teenager playing in his first senior tournament.

His partnership with Junaid Shah has been one of the bright spots of Pakistan’s campaign. Shah set up Bettani’s debut goal against India and his first goal against the Maldives, and the two young players look comfortable playing together.

For a Pakistan team that has often struggled to score goals, Bettani’s arrival feels important. Pakistan scored five goals in their two group matches — more than many fans would have expected before the tournament began.

From heartbreak against India to a statement win

The Maldives victory mattered so much because of what happened in Pakistan’s first match. Against India on 5 November, Pakistan lost 3-2 in a match that swung wildly at the end.

India, the defending champions, led 3-0 before Pakistan produced a late fightback. Bettani scored on his debut and Alamgir Ghazi added another in stoppage time, but Pakistan ran out of time to find an equaliser.

The defeat was painful — India have now won their last five meetings with Pakistan — but the two late goals showed something valuable: this Pakistan team does not give up. That spirit carried into the Maldives match, where Pakistan attacked from the first whistle instead of waiting for things to happen.

Head coach Nolberto Solano, the former Peru international who leads the team, will be pleased with the response. His side could easily have felt sorry for themselves after losing to their biggest rivals. Instead, they produced their most convincing performance of the tournament.

The Group B table: what Pakistan need now

The win over the Maldives leaves Group B finely balanced. Pakistan have three points from two matches, with five goals scored and three conceded. India also have three points, from their single match so far — the 3-2 win over Pakistan. The Maldives have no points after their defeat.

The group will be decided by the final match between India and the Maldives on Wednesday, 11 November.

If India win or draw, Pakistan go through to the semi-finals alongside India. The Maldives need a substantial victory over India to overhaul Pakistan and keep their own hopes alive — a big task against the nine-time champions, who are also set to be strengthened by six more players joining their squad after the FIFA international window opens on 9 November.

Pakistan’s goal difference of +2, compared with the Maldives’ -3, gives them a useful cushion. In simple terms, Pakistan are in a strong position. Only a heavy Maldives win over India would knock them out.

Pakistan’s long wait for a SAFF title

Reaching the semi-finals would be a big achievement for Pakistan, because this is a tournament they have never won.

The SAFF Championship is South Asia’s main international football competition. The 2026 edition, the 15th, is being played in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 5 to 17 November, with six teams taking part: hosts Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nepal are missing because of a FIFA suspension.

India dominate the competition. They have won nine of the 14 editions played so far — in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023 — and they are the defending champions, having won the last two tournaments. The Maldives have won it twice, in 2008 and 2018, while Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have each won it once.

Pakistan have never lifted the trophy. Their best finish was third place, back in 1997. In the last edition in 2023, Pakistan finished bottom of their group without a point, losing 4-0 to India, 1-0 to Nepal and 4-0 to Kuwait.

The record against India is also one-sided. The two countries have met 29 times in senior internationals, with India winning 16, Pakistan four, and nine ending in draws. Pakistan’s last win over India came in a friendly in Lahore in 2005, and their last win over India at the SAFF Championship was in 2003.

That history is exactly why this campaign feels different. Pakistan are scoring goals, fighting back from setbacks and — for the first time in a long while — looking like a team that belongs at the business end of the tournament.

A team winning without its captain

What makes Pakistan’s position even more impressive is that they are doing it without some of their most important players.

Captain Abdullah Iqbal, along with Easah Suliman, Abdul Samad Arshad and Ali Akbar Khan, were not released early by their clubs, because the group matches fall outside the November FIFA international window. They can only join the squad if Pakistan reach the semi-finals.

The Pakistan Football Federation announced a 28-member squad for the tournament, and several of the younger players have had to step up sooner than expected. Bettani and midfielder Muhammad Junaid both earned their first senior call-ups after the SAFF U20 Championship, and both have already made a difference.

Pakistan also arrived at the tournament short of form. In the ASEAN Cup earlier this year, they lost 4-0 to Thailand and 4-2 to Vietnam before drawing 2-2 with the Philippines. Few people expected them to be fighting for a semi-final place in Dhaka.

If Pakistan do reach the last four, the return of their captain and the other missing players would be a major boost for the semi-finals on 14 November and the final on 17 November.

What happens next

Pakistan’s players now have three days to wait. The India–Maldives match on 11 November decides their fate, and they will be watching closely — most likely hoping India do the job for them.

If Pakistan qualify, the semi-finals take place on 14 November, with the final on 17 November. Their opponents would come from Group A, which features hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

Whatever happens next, this tournament has already given Pakistan football something it has lacked for years: a young goalscorer to believe in, a team that fights back, and a result that the whole country can celebrate.

Frequently asked questions

Who scored for Pakistan against the Maldives?

McKeal Aroon Abdullah scored from the penalty spot early in the match, and Najeebullah Bettani scored twice in the first half.

What is the score in the SAFF Championship Group B?

Pakistan have three points from two matches after beating the Maldives 3-0 and losing 3-2 to India. India also have three points, from one match. The Maldives have no points.

When is the India vs Maldives match?

The final Group B match is on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, in Dhaka. India only need a draw to qualify for the semi-finals alongside Pakistan.

Has Pakistan ever won the SAFF Championship?

No. Pakistan have never won the tournament. Their best finish was third place in 1997. India have won it nine times, more than any other country.

Who is Najeebullah Bettani?

Bettani is a 19-year-old striker who plays for Khan Research Laboratories. He made his senior Pakistan debut against India on 5 November 2026 and has scored three goals in his first two international matches.

When are the SAFF Championship semi-finals and final?

The semi-finals are on 14 November and the final is on 17 November 2026, all at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s 3-0 win over the Maldives was more than just three points. It was a young team showing character after a painful defeat, a 19-year-old striker announcing himself on the international stage, and a country that has waited decades for SAFF Championship success daring to believe again.

The job is not finished. Pakistan still need India to avoid defeat against the Maldives on 11 November. But for the first time in years, Pakistan are not just taking part in this tournament — they are competing in it. If they reach the semi-finals, with their captain and missing players able to return, this could become a campaign Pakistani football fans remember for a long time.

Sources

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.

Faizan Altaf

Faizan Altaf is the founder and author of findivoza.com, a news blog covering world, Pakistan, business, technology, health and sport in plain English. He writes for general readers who want clear, trustworthy news without jargon. His work focuses on explaining what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next.

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