By Agencies
Copyright dawn
COLOMBO: Mansoor Ahmed’s first-half hat-trick fired Pakistan into the semi-finals of the SAFF Under-17 Championships as Nasir Ismail’s side cruised past the Maldives 5-2 on Friday.
Mohammad Abdullah, who got a treble in Pakistan’s 4-0 win over Bhutan in their opener, got the other two goals for the side with the result securing a top-two finish in Group ‘B’ alongside India, who edged past Bhutan in the day’s other game.
Pakistan face India in their final group game on Monday with the winner taking top spot.
Mansoor opened the scoring in the 12th minute at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium, capitalising after a long punt caused mayhem in the Maldives defence, and he got his second 20 minutes later with a drilled first-time finish from just inside the box.
Ailyan Ahmed pulled one back for the Maldives in the 42nd but Mansoor completed his treble from the penalty spot three minutes later and Abdullah got his first in first-half stoppage time, turning in a deflected cross at the back post.
Abdullah made it 5-1 just before the hour mark, when he converted a penalty before Mohammad Shayan got a consolation goal for the Maldives in the 70th.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025
