Despite suffering a resounding 6-1 defeat to Tajikistan in their second-round qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Pakistan football team received unwavering support from over 18,000 passionate fans who packed Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium.
The official attendance for the match at Jinnah Stadium was 18,300. The crowd was filled with excitement and hope for a brilliant performance by the Pakistan team on their home soil.
Official attendance was more than 18300 at Jinnah Stadium #Islamabad today#PAKvsTJK #FIFAWorldCupQualifiers pic.twitter.com/oGkgkI2W3o
— Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) November 21, 2023
The crowd of over 18,000 spectators was exclusively seated in the enclosure seats, as per FIFA regulations that mandate fans to occupy designated seats for cheering their teams.
In Jinnah Stadium, the remaining stands lacked seating, and hence no fans were allowed to sit on the stairs. The installed seats filled the entire stadium, offering a view to those who occupied them.
It should be noted that the second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers at Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad saw Pakistan’s national football team endure a decisive 6-1 loss to Tajikistan today.
Kamolov, with a slight deflection from Abdullah Iqbal, scored the opening goal for the visiting team in under five minutes.
Tajikistan increased their advantage with yet another impressive long-range shot, this time from Soirov, leaving Pakistan’s goalkeeper Yousuf Butt unable to stop the ball from finding the back of the net.
After Tajikistan’s commanding performance, Pakistan made a comeback in the 21st minute with an impressive left-footed goal from Rahis Nabi.
Taking advantage of the vulnerabilities in the missing midfield, Tajikistan netted a goal from outside the box in the 26th minute.
The home team faced ongoing challenges, allowing another goal just before halftime, resulting in Tajikistan securing a commanding three-goal lead.
During the 65th minute, the Men in Green allowed yet another goal from the edge of the box, underscoring their susceptibility in safeguarding their penalty area.
Just before the final whistle, Tajikistan added another goal, sealing a decisive 6-1 triumph in a lopsided football match.
Nabi’s exceptional goal in the first half stood as the sole positive aspect for Pakistan, as he was the lone player to find the back of the net.
Stay Connected with ProPakistani
Get the latest sports news, match updates, and player stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
Pakistan hired a professional coach 2 months before the game. Other countries have 10-20 year long term plan. You cannot make a fool out of the system in a competitive environment. So Pakistan has a long way to go.
But not much can change as we know that power struggles and politics will continue and we know what happens in Pakistan.