2 publishers · first seen Thu, 05 Nov 2026 12:14 UTC · updated Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:02 UTC
India began their SAFF Championship 2026 title defence with a 3-2 win over Pakistan in Dhaka. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in the first half, and Manglenthang Kipgen added a third goal. Despite a late fightback from Pakistan, with goals from Najeeb Ullah and Alamgir Ghazi in stoppage time, India held on for the victory. India will next face Maldives on November 11.
India, the defending champions, fielded a second-string team due to the ongoing ISL season and the FIFA international window. The team is under the charge of U-23 national team head coach Naushad Moosa, with Bibiano Fernandes as the assistant coach. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the final scheduled for November 17.
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