Pakistan made history by defeating Afghanistan 2–0 in the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament at the National Stadium, ending a 74-year wait for a football tournament title.
The win gave Pakistan its first stand-alone international tournament crown and its first outright victory in a men’s national team tournament final. Pakistan’s last tournament success came in 1952, when it shared the Asian Quadrangular title on a league basis.
Shayek Dost put Pakistan ahead in the 24th minute with a brilliant overhead kick after Afghanistan failed to clear their lines. A loose clearance and a misdirected cross dropped kindly for Shayek, who adjusted quickly before producing an acrobatic finish that sent the home supporters into celebration.
Afghanistan had started brightly and tested Pakistan early, but the Shaheens gradually settled into the game. Otis Khan remained a constant threat down the left flank and played an important role in the move that led to the opening goal.
Afghanistan nearly equalized before halftime when they struck the crossbar in injury time, but Pakistan held firm to take a 1–0 lead into the break.
Pakistan kept the pressure on after the restart, with Adil Nabi hitting the bar soon after halftime. Afghanistan pushed forward in search of a response, but Pakistan defended with discipline as goalkeeper Saqib Hanif organized the back line effectively.
The result was sealed in stoppage time when substitute Harun Hamid beat his marker with a sharp turn before finishing past the goalkeeper to make it 2–0.
Pakistan completed the tournament unbeaten, having also defeated Afghanistan 2–0 in the round-robin stage. The final victory was their third consecutive win of the competition.
Head coach Norberto Solano praised his players for their resilience and said the result reflected the team’s progress ahead of next year’s Asian Cup and World Cup qualifying campaigns.
“We proved that we are a strong group of boys coming back after the Bangladesh draw. They are happy, I am so glad for them, for the Pakistani nation,” Solano said.
“This brings back belief in football. They have amazing talent. We have to continue this as we have more challenges in September, October and November. We have to prepare well before Asian competitions start next year.”
Captain Abdullah Iqbal dedicated the trophy to Pakistan’s football fans, saying the team wanted to reward them for their support during difficult times.
“Very happy with the team first and foremost,” he said. “This one is for the fans. We have worked so hard for the fans. We had to give back to the fans. They had supported us through very tough times. That’s the most important thing for us.”
Pakistan Football Federation president Syed Mohsen Gilani called the victory a key milestone in his tenure and described it as a “new beginning” for Pakistan football.
