ISLAMABAD: Pakistan have qualified for the next round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers by downing Cambodia by 1-0 in their home leg here at the Jinnah Stadium of Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Both teams failed to score a goal in the first half of the game. However, Harun Hamid scored the decider in the 68th minute of the game and took Pakistan to a 1-0 victory over Cambodia.
Earlier on October 12, the match between Pakistan and Cambodia ended in a goalless draw at Cambodia.
Pakistan would now play matches in Group G with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan on a home and away basis.
Speaking after the game, Sports Minister of Balochistan, Nawabzada Jamal Raisani, termed the Pakistan team’s win over Cambodia as historic and said that it looks like football was finally back in Pakistan.
“I want to congratulate the Pakistani nation, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and football lovers for the Pakistan team’s win. Pakistan will make history and this is the first step to it,” he said in a presser after the end of the match.
FIFA Normalization Committee Chairman Haroon Malik said Pakistan has moved to the second round for the first time in history.
“Our youth have the spirit, we just have to bring out the talent in them. We need to support football and provide opportunity to the players,” he said.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi who earlier graced the event was also present on the occasion. Federal Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ahmad Hanif Orakzai was also there along with other PFF NC members.
Pakistan football team coach Stephen Constantine was overjoyed with the team’s win while Harun who scored the decider for Pakistan said he was glad that Pakistan won the game.
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