India hammer Pakistan 5-2 in SAFF Women’s Football in Kathmandu

It was a matter of missed opportunities for Pakistan. And then they also handed too many gaps.

In the end, it was favorites India who whipped their arch-rivals 5-2 in their Group A opener of the 2024 Women’s SAFF Football Championship at the Dashrath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu on Thursday night.

Besides having missed some tough chances, Zahmena Malik squandered a huge chance in the 60th minute after she was smartly fed in the area by Isra Khan.

And soon afterwards Amina Hanif missed an open chance which dented Pakistan’s fightback hopes.

India's Grace Dangmei did a wonderful job with a brace. She was ably backed by Manisha, Bala Devi and Jyoti Chauhan with a goal each.

PFF

Maria Khan-led Pakistan, which returned to the international circuit after a year, offered some good resistance after 40 minutes with Suha Hirani scoring at the stroke of first half.

Just after the breather, Kayla Siddiqui added another goal to the team's tally in the 47th minute. However, Pakistan did not show the skills to convert chances with India taking a solid start to the seven-nation event.

Questions raised over team selection

Pakistan’s former assistant coach Nasir Ismail questioned the way coach Adeel Rizki handled the team.

“Yes, the team did well in the second half but huge gaps were seen in the defense and the line-up seemed a disjointed bunch tactically,” Nasir told Nukta.

He also raised questions over the selection of the players.

“Until and unless you select players on merit and if you don’t pick the top performers such things will happen,” Nasir said.

He said that it’s not possible to win major titles with little action at home.

“You cannot win a major title by playing just one national event. There is a need to establish a women’s league. There should be six to eight teams and when they will play long league then you will be able to get a right stuff,” Nasir said.

He added that this is not Pakistan team but an outfit handpicked by coach Adeel Rizki.

Pakistani players during the national anthem PFF

“It’s a team of Adeel Rizki’s Karachi City women’s team. He has ignored such girls who have scored three hat-tricks in the national women championship. Hajra Khan currently is the best Pakistan player and she has been ignored. Goalkeeper Mahpara and Farzana Batool were overlooked. There were other players who did well in the national championship and there was a girl of WAPDA because they had not filled the form of Karachi City FC. This is not the national women team,” Nasir said.

Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in their next game on October 20.

They will need to win that game if they are to make it to the semi-finals.

In a Group B match on Friday Sri Lanka downed Maldives 1-0 with Warnakulasuriya Mahamutukala scoring the solitary goal in the 18th minute.