THIMPU (Bhutan): A dominant Pakistan cruised to a 3-0 win over the Maldives on Monday to seal top spot in Group ‘B’ of the SAFF Under-16 Championship and a place in the semi-finals.

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       Pakistan, who last won the tournament back in 2011, came into the game after a 2-1 win over hosts Bhutan on Saturday and started in top gear with Subhan Karim scoring for the second time in as many games with an angled shot from inside the box after 14 minutes at the Changlimithang Stadium.

       Abdul Ghani then showed great reflexes and reaction time to double Pakistan’s advantage in the 39th. Ghani’s header off a corner ricocheted off a Maldives defender and he swiveled and stretched to poke it in past Maldives goalkeeper Ahmed Mifzal.

       Mifzal was unlucky when Pakistan scored their third six minutes into the second half. Abdul Samad’s shot from a cross cannoned off the inside of the post, only for the ball to hit Mifzal and go in.

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       Maldives and Bhutan will now clash in the final Group ‘B’ game on Wednesday to decide which side joins Pakistan in the final four.

       Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2023