Pakistan edge Bangladesh to reach SAFF Championship final

Pakistan booked their place in the SAFF Championship 2026 final after Abdul Samad's 86th-minute strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over hosts Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday.

The Green Shirts will now face arch-rivals India in Tuesday's title decider at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, marking their first appearance in the tournament final since the competition was introduced in 1993.

In a tense semi-final, both sides struggled to find a breakthrough for much of the contest, with Pakistan and Bangladesh heading into the closing stages locked at 0-0.

Bangladesh came closest to taking the lead in the 23rd minute when Rakib Hossain found space inside the box and unleashed a left-footed effort. However, Pakistan captain Abdullah Iqbal produced a crucial goal-line clearance to keep his side in the contest.

Pakistan responded with a promising opportunity of their own nine minutes later. Abdul Samad's left-footed attempt beat Bangladesh goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon but came back off the post.

With the match seemingly heading towards extra time, Pakistan found the decisive breakthrough four minutes before the end of regulation time.

Substitute Hayan Khattak, who had replaced Ali Uzair in the 74th minute, delivered a precise assist for Samad, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net in the 86th minute.

Bangladesh had looked impressive in the group stage, finishing top of Group A with a flawless record. They opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Bhutan before thrashing Sri Lanka 4-0 to register five goals without conceding.

Pakistan's road to the final

Pakistan, meanwhile, had to take a more difficult route to the last four.

The Green Shirts opened their campaign with a 3-2 defeat against India but recovered emphatically with a 3-0 triumph over Maldives in their next outing.

Despite the convincing win, Pakistan's qualification was not immediately guaranteed, as their progression depended on the result of the final Group B fixture between India and Maldives.

The national side needed India to win that encounter, and the Blue Tigers did their part by registering a 1-0 victory over Maldives, allowing Pakistan to advance to the knockout stage.

Pakistan have now carried that momentum into the semi-finals and will have an opportunity to cap their historic campaign with a title when they renew their rivalry with India in Tuesday's final.