MALÉ — Pakistan’s senior national football team began their Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament with a 0-0 draw against a younger Bangladesh side on Monday. Despite having a one-man advantage for the final thirty minutes of the match, Pakistan was unable to find a breakthrough against the resolute Bangladeshi defense.
Key Highlights
- Pakistan drew 0-0 against Bangladesh’s under-23 Olympic squad.
- Bangladesh played with ten men after captain SM Monjurur Rahman was sent off in the 62nd minute.
- Midfielder Rahis Nabi was forced off the pitch due to an injury just 15 minutes into the game.
- Debutants Adil Nabi and Ali Akbar Khan made their first appearances for the senior team.
- Pakistan goalkeeper Yousuf Butt and Bangladesh’s Md Mehedi Hassan Srabon both made critical saves to maintain the stalemate.
FT: Pakistan 0-0 Bangladesh
Frustrating end to the game as the MNT’s search for a first win in nearly 3 years continues. Pakistan now play Diamond Jubilee Tournament hosts Maldives on June 4.#PakistanFootball #PAKvBAN pic.twitter.com/LbvjFNaD2w
— FootballPakistan.com (@FootballPak) June 1, 2026
The match shifted in Pakistan’s favor in the 62nd minute when Bangladesh captain SM Monjurur Rahman received a red card for elbowing Pakistan’s goalkeeper during a set-piece. While Pakistan applied sustained pressure during the final half-hour, they could not capitalize. Their best opportunities came from Alamgir Ghazi, whose long-range shot hit the post, and a 95th-minute strike by Harun Hamid that was saved by the Bangladeshi keeper.
Pakistan’s next challenge in the group stage will be against the tournament hosts, the Maldives, on Thursday. They will conclude the opening round against Afghanistan on June 7. Only the top two teams from the group stage will advance to the tournament final scheduled for June 10.
