2023 is THE year to remember for Pakistan football. The most successful year in terms of success and the quantity of matches played.
Pakistan men’s football team played a total of 11 matches, winning 1, drawing 1, and losing 9 times. Every Pakistani football supporter will remember that Cambodia win; when 12000+ spectators viewed the national side advancing from the 1st round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Following chronology, Pakistan first traveled to Maldives during March 2023. The match against the hosts ended, 1-0, with Ibrahim Aisham scoring the winner for Maldives in the 20th minute.
The next assignment for the senior team was a ‘4-nation tournament’ in Mauritius. The cup was a preparation for Pakistan’s travel to India to play the 2023 SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) Championship.
In Mauritius, Pakistan played the first match against the hosts; losing the match 0-3. The second match was against a competitive country, Kenya. Kenya won by a match by a close margin of 1-0.
The last match was against the closest competitor of Pakistan, Djibouti. Pakistan scored their first goal of the year in this match. Pakistan’s right-back, Rao Omar Hayat was the scorer. Unfortunately, Pakistan lost the match, 1-3.
🇵🇰⚽️GOAL: Umer Hayat ('84) ends #Pakistan's goalless streak in the series! After multiple chances, the #Shaheens finally find the back of the net against #Djibouit in the 4 Nation Series!#PakistanFootball #FIFA #Football pic.twitter.com/8CFqWGQE56
— On the Mic (@on_themic) June 17, 2023
Next, Pakistan travelled to India in order to play the SAFF event. Pakistan faced the hosts, India, in the inaugural match. India won the match, 4-0, courtesy a hattrick from their premier forward, Sunil Chhetri.
After that, Pakistan played Kuwait, 4-0, where the team lost by a similar margin. The last match against Nepal was the closest one, 1-0, as the green shirts lost by a goal on the 80th minute.
3 defeats in 3 matches for Pakistan football team ❌
India next in SAFF Championship.#PakistanFootball pic.twitter.com/D0Kw3Y5fV0
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) June 17, 2023
October 2023 was the most historical month for Pakistani men’s football. Pakistan had to play Cambodia home and away in the 1st round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Pakistan attained the services of British coach, Stephen Constantine, who was given the task of making sure that Pakistan reaches the 2nd round of the World Cup qualification.
Pakistan had never, in 76 years, reached the 2nd round of a World Cup qualifier. Pakistan travelled to Cambodia, 0-0, and didn’t let the opponents score any goal. Constantine’s known for his park-the-bus approach where he makes the other team work hard for scoring a goal.
Pakistan center-back’s, Easah Suliman and Abdullah Iqbal, were rocks in front of the goal. A clean sheet was kept and the team headed back to its home with an advantage.
Pakistan was playing without their captain, Otis Khan, as there was a confusion from FIFA’s end regarding Khan’s Pakistani origins. Khan had played the 4-nation and SAFF event, but when the World Cup qualification matches came, FIFA’s regulations stood in his way to don the Green Jersey in the all-important qualifiers.
The team played in their home ground, Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad. The match was going steady at 0-0 when Pakistani midfielder, Harun Hamid, scored a goal in the 68th minute. A left-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the goal-keeper. Pakistani defense shut the shop and won the match 1-0. They qualified for the 2nd round of a World Cup qualifier for the first time in their history.
Scenes in Islamabad!
Pakistan have won their first ever FIFA World Cup qualifying match
Ex QPR midfielder Harun Hamid scored the only goal of the game as Pakistan beat Cambodia 1-0
It's their first win in international football since 2018https://t.co/T84kB5YTPq
— Seb Sternik (@seb_sternik) October 17, 2023
In November 2023, Pakistan faced their first two matches of the 2nd round of the World Cup qualifier. The team was without their first choice center-back, Easah Suliman, due to an injury. They kept Saudi Arabia quite till the 90th minute, 2-0, but they scored twice in the stoppage time to end the match 4-0.
The last match of the year was the most disappointing one. Pakistan played the match without their first choice center-back, right-back and midfielder. Rao Omar Hayat and Shayek Dost missed the match due to yellow card suspensions while Easah Suliman was still out due to injury.
Pakistan lost the match against Tajikistan, 1-6. Pakistan’s head coach was furious at the post-match press conference, as he had vowed that Pakistan would never get beaten so badly under his coaching.
Bromance in the Saudi Arabia vs Pakistan matchpic.twitter.com/6OxlBiYbvf
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) November 19, 2023
Constantine will have a better squad of players when he returns for the March 2024 matches. Suliman is back, playing a football league in Azerbaijan. Dost will (reportedly) play the Afghanistan League which is a further boost.
As 2024 approaches, all we can do is hope that Pakistan football keeps on rising like it did in 2023.
