Pakistan women’s football team came back from a hiatus after a tough decade for the women in green. The team played a total of 10 matches during the year, 2023, as it achieved numerous recognizable achievements throughout the year.
The year started with a ‘Four-Nation Cup’ in Saudi Arabia during January 2023. Pakistan won the first match against Comoros, 1-0, through a late winner from Anmol Hira.
The women in green then lost to Mauritius, 2-1, before drawing the last match against the hosts, 1-1. Pakistan’s captain, Maria Khan, scored a goal each in the last two matches; her free-kick goal against Saudi Arabia will be remembered for a long time.
Khan equalized the Arabia match, 1-1, with a free-kick goal in the 64th minute.
⚽️🇵🇰 GOAL: Maria Khan's direct free-kick that levelled the score against Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦#football #pakistan #pakistanfootball pic.twitter.com/T6FKXzUp4Y
— On the Mic (@on_themic) January 19, 2023
After a 3-month break, the women’s team went to Tajikistan to compete in the 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifiers – Round 1.
On 05 April 2023, Pakistan encountered their toughest defeat of the year, 4-0, against the Philippines. They then faced the highly competitive Hong Kong, where they lost again, 2-0.
On 11 April 2023, Pakistan made history when they won their first-ever Olympic qualifier match. The women played the host, Tajikistan, at the Hisor Central Stadium.
Pakistan’s Zahmena Malik scored in the 26th minute to help the national side achieve a massive feat.
The achievement looked even bigger when the men’s football team lost, 6-1, to Tajikistan’s team later on in the year.
PAKISTAN 1-0 TAJIKISTAN
WHAT A PASS WHAT A FINISH.#PAKvTAJ pic.twitter.com/AoFGPU8QXQ— Athlete Avenue (@AthleteAvenuepk) April 11, 2023
Next, the women’s team traveled to Singapore, in July, to participate in a friendly match. Pakistan got a new number #4, Kayla Siddiqi, who aced in the center-back position.
Pakistan tried new tactics under the management of Adeel Rizki, losing the match 1-0.
The last assignment of the year was the 2023 Women’s Friendly Tournament in Saudi Arabia in September.
Pakistan played Malaysia in the first match, 0-0, at the King Fahd Sports City, Riyadh.
The second match was lost, 1-0, against the hosts Saudi Arabia in the same stadium. Pakistan conceded an unfortunate late winner, 90+5 minute, which resulted in the loss.
The last match of the tournament, and the year, was played on 28 September 2023 against Laos. The teams were equal, 1-1, after 90 minutes, but Pakistan held onto their nerve and won the match through penalties.
Pakistan’s initial penalty-taker, Zulfia Nazir, missed the penalty, but similar misses from the opposite side resulted in the win.
After Nazir, all four penalty-takers of Pakistan converted their chances, thus winning the penalties 4-2.
Full Penalty Shootout: 🇵🇰 Pakistan VS Laos 🇱🇦 | 6-Nation Cup#Pakistan #PakistanFootball #PakistanZindabad #WomensFootball #FIFA #Football #PakistanWomen pic.twitter.com/Jcs8w93GHf
— Shakib (@shakibsf) September 29, 2023
Pakistan women’s had a window open during the month of December, but the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) couldn’t arrange any matches for them.
Talking about the calendar year 2024, it is unclear when the national side plays again, and which events they will participate in.
thankyou for wasting the nation’s resources, now the idiots in the tax department will beg taxpayers for more money.
Spending money on Sports is considered a waste of tax payers money now?