Dhaka:Abdul Samad scored a crucial goal five minutes from full time, securing Pakistan's 1-0 victory over Bangladesh in the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday.
According to United News of Bangladesh, this win marks Pakistan's first-ever entry into the SAFF Championship final, where they will face India on Tuesday. India had earlier defeated Bhutan 2-1 in the first semi-final.
The defeat dashed Bangladesh's hopes of reaching their first final since 2005, when they previously beat Pakistan in the semi-finals in Karachi. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when Bangladesh goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon's attempted throw fell to Samad, who capitalized with a left-footed strike that silenced the home crowd.
Srabon had performed well throughout the match, making a diving save in the second minute following a misplaced pass from Shamit Shome that initiated a Pakistan attack. He also saved a free-kick after Hamza Choudhury's foul late in the second half.
The first half saw both teams hitting the post without scoring. Rakib Hossain's shot, facilitated by Shome's header, was saved by the Pakistan goalkeeper but rebounded off the post. Samad also hit the post after a cooling break, finding space after defender Tariq Kazi lost his marker.
Bangladesh frequently moved the ball forward but struggled against Pakistan's robust defense near the box. In the second half, Rakib's shot was blocked by a defender, and Pakistan's Abdullah intercepted a cutback before Shome could reach it. Farhan Ali's offside shot narrowly missed the post.
Coach Thomas Dooley made tactical changes, including bringing on striker Mohammad Ibrahim for Suki Itosofa and Bishwanath Ghosh for Rahmat Mia. Bangladesh had also made adjustments from their previous game against Sri Lanka, with Rahmat replacing the injured Saad Uddin and Suki starting in place of Ibrahim.
Before the match, Dooley mentioned to broadcasters that the team had learned from their ASEAN Cup campaign in Indonesia and noted the squad's positive spirit, despite the loss of Saad to injury. Pakistan coach Nolberto Solano anticipated a tough challenge and stated his team was well-prepared for the encounter.