Defending champions India survived a dramatic late fightback from Pakistan to win 3-2 in their SAFF Championship 2026 opener at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday, 5 November. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in the first 20 minutes and Manglenthang Kipgen added a third on his senior debut, but two stoppage-time goals — including a spectacular overhead kick from Pakistan captain Alamgir Ghazi — turned a comfortable evening into a nervous finish for the nine-time champions.
How the match unfolded
India, fielding a second-string side, started sharply. Bhat finished first-time after a swift attacking move in the 14th minute, according to the Indian Express, and doubled the lead six minutes later with another clinical finish. Kipgen, the Punjab FC forward, made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute, beating goalkeeper Yousuf Butt one-on-one after receiving a pass from PN Noufal.
Pakistan had a route back into the game before half-time. Hayyaan Khattak won a penalty after a foul inside the box, but Shayek Dost blazed his effort over the crossbar, and India took their three-goal lead into the interval, Dawn reported.
The second half brought no further goals from India, but Pakistan's late surge nearly rescued a point. Najeeb Ullah pulled one back in the first minute of stoppage time, powering home a header from a Junaid Shah cross to score his first international goal. Two minutes later, Ghazi produced the moment of the match: collecting a pass from McKeal Abdullah with his back to goal, the captain lifted the ball, swivelled and connected with an overhead kick that found the far corner.
Pakistan pushed for an equaliser in the remaining seconds, but India held on to take all three points in the Group B encounter.
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 14' | Suhail Ahmad Bhat opens the scoring for India (1-0) |
| 20' | Bhat scores his second (2-0) |
| 32' | Manglenthang Kipgen scores on his senior debut (3-0) |
| First half | Shayek Dost misses a penalty for Pakistan, blazing over the bar |
| 90+1' | Najeeb Ullah heads in from a Junaid Shah cross (3-1) |
| 90+4' | Alamgir Ghazi scores a spectacular overhead kick (3-2) |
| Full time | India 3-2 Pakistan |
A second-string India side
India arrived in Dhaka without their first-choice players. The main team is preparing for away international friendlies against New Zealand on 12 and 15 November in Auckland and Christchurch, so the SAFF squad is built around the under-23 setup, led by U-23 head coach Naushad Moosa, with Bibiano Fernandes as assistant coach.
Only 18 players were available for the opener. The All India Football Federation said the remaining squad members would join over the following days, and once the FIFA international window opens on 9 November, Indian Super League clubs will release their players and the squad will reach its full strength of 28. Thursday's match fell outside the window, which is why several clubs were reluctant to release players mid-season.
That context makes the first-half display more striking: a young, makeshift side scored three times in 32 minutes against their fiercest regional rivals. Bhat, born in Srinagar, was the sharpest player on the pitch, while Kipgen's debut goal — on his first senior appearance for India — gave the defending champions a cushion they ultimately needed.
Context: India have won the SAFF Championship nine times in the 14 editions held since 1993, finishing runners-up four times and third once. Pakistan's best performance in the tournament remains a third-place finish in 1997. The 2026 edition is a six-team tournament played at the National Stadium in Dhaka, with hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan in Group A and India, Pakistan and Maldives in Group B.
Pakistan's late surge — and what it cost them
Pakistan, coached by former Peru international Nolberto Solano, came into the tournament short of several key players who featured in last month's FIFA ASEAN Cup, where the Shaheens lost to Thailand (0-4) and Vietnam (2-4) and drew with the Philippines (2-2). Their first-half performance in Dhaka was disappointing, Dawn reported, and the second half was further disrupted by injuries to left-back Abdul Rehman and Shayek Dost, both of whom had to be withdrawn.
But the closing stages offered encouragement. Solano's early change — bringing on striker McKeal Abdullah for defender Waqar Ehtisham Baloch — eventually paid off, and Abdullah set up both late goals. Najeeb Ullah had already come close once before his header, denied by India goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh, before finally finding the net. Ghazi's overhead kick then gave Pakistan a genuine chance of an equaliser in the final seconds.
The defeat leaves Pakistan needing a positive result against Maldives on Sunday, 8 November, in their final Group B fixture, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Trailing 3-0 at half-time, Pakistan mounted a spirited fightback, with Najeebullah and Alamgir finding the net in injury time to give the Shaheens hope of an unlikely comeback.
What the result means
For India, the win is three points banked with a weakened squad — and a warning. A 3-0 half-time lead should never have become a 3-2 scramble, and the defending champions will want tighter game management when their full-strength squad arrives after the international window opens. For Pakistan, the scoreline flatters the first-half performance but the fightback is real: two goals in stoppage time, a captain's moment of brilliance, and a team that kept attacking when the game looked lost.
The rivalry itself remains the story. India versus Pakistan in any sport draws an audience far beyond the result, and Thursday's match delivered the arc the fixture promises: early dominance, a missed chance to change the game, and a finish that kept everyone watching until the final whistle.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in India vs Pakistan at the SAFF Championship 2026?
India won 3-2. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored in the 14th and 20th minutes and Manglenthang Kipgen in the 32nd; Najeeb Ullah (90+1') and Alamgir Ghazi (90+4') scored for Pakistan.
Where was the match played?
At the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, 5 November 2026. It was the opening Group B fixture of the SAFF Championship 2026.
Why was India fielding a weakened team?
The main India squad is preparing for friendlies against New Zealand on 12 and 15 November, and the match fell outside the FIFA international window (9–17 November), so Indian Super League clubs were not obliged to release players. India travelled with 18 players and a squad built around the under-23 setup under coach Naushad Moosa.
What happens next for both teams?
Pakistan play Maldives on Sunday, 8 November, in their final Group B match. India play Maldives on Wednesday, 11 November. The top two teams from each group reach the semi-finals on 14 November, with the final on 17 November.
Key takeaways
- India beat Pakistan 3-2 in the SAFF Championship 2026 opener in Dhaka, with Suhail Ahmad Bhat scoring twice in the first 20 minutes.
- Manglenthang Kipgen scored on his senior India debut to make it 3-0 in the 32nd minute.
- Pakistan missed a first-half penalty through Shayek Dost, then scored twice in stoppage time — Najeeb Ullah's header and Alamgir Ghazi's overhead kick.
- India fielded a second-string, 18-player squad under U-23 coach Naushad Moosa, with the full squad arriving once the FIFA window opens on 9 November.
- Pakistan must beat Maldives on 8 November to keep their semi-final hopes alive; India face Maldives on 11 November.
What to watch next: Pakistan's must-win game against Maldives on Sunday, and whether India's reinforcements arrive in time to sharpen a side that let a three-goal lead slip to a single goal in stoppage time. The semi-final picture in Group B will be much clearer after the weekend.
