History Made: Pakistan Defeats Afghanistan 2-0 to Secure First International Final in 35 Years

The Pakistan men’s national football team achieved a monumental milestone on Sunday, June 7, 2026, booking their spot in an international final for the first time in over three decades.

A commanding 2-0 victory over rivals Afghanistan at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, guaranteed the Green Shirts a top-two finish in the round-robin stage of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament.

The historic win sends Pakistan to the tournament’s title clash, scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

How the Match Unfolded: Nawaz and Hamid Seal the Defeat

Entering the final round-robin fixture, Pakistan needed only a draw to qualify for the final, following their massive 3-0 clean sheet against the host nation, Maldives. However, head coach Nolberto Solano’s squad aimed for maximum points from the start.

Pakistan found the back of the net just five minutes into the game. Striker Umar Nawaz clinical side-footed a low, accurate cross from teammate Shayek Dost directly past the Afghan goalkeeper, establishing an early 1-1 tempo control.

While Pakistan dictated the flow of the game through an aggressive frontline consisting of Nawaz, Dost, and Otis Khan, Afghanistan—managed by former Pakistan manager Jose Antonio Nogueira—fought hard to equalize.

Afghanistan’s captain, Omid Popalzay, nearly leveled the score just before the halftime whistle with a powerful free kick that struck the woodwork.

The second half saw a resilient defensive display from Pakistan, anchored by defender Easah Suliman. Despite several second-half pushes from Afghanistan’s Omid Mosawi, Pakistan held firm. Deep into stoppage time (90+1′), substitute Harun Hamid latched onto a brilliant through ball from Adil Nabi, smashing home a powerful shot to permanently seal the 2-0 victory.

Breaking a Multi-Decade Tournament Drought

This victory is a monumental turning point for Pakistani football, rewriting several records for the national team:

First Senior Final Since 1991: This marks Pakistan’s first appearance in a senior men’s international final since the 1991 South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, where they defeated the Maldives 2-0 to claim gold.

First Standalone Tournament Final Since 1962: It is the country’s first appearance in a standalone, non-regional international tournament final since the 1962 Merdeka Tournament (where they finished as runners-up to Indonesia).

The Solano Era Turnaround: After struggling through a 961-day drought without an international win prior to this tournament, Solano has successfully led his side to two straight victories.

Pakistan will lift the trophy on June 10 if they defeat either Bangladesh U23 or Afghanistan in a highly anticipated rematch for the championship title.

FT: Pakistan 2-0 Afghanistan

Harun Hamid! Fateh Cambodia. Fateh Afghanistan!

Pakistan win the Durand Line Derby! #PAKvAFG #PakistanFootball pic.twitter.com/Avo9dxVOeW

— FootballPakistan.com (@FootballPak) June 7, 2026