KARACHI: Pakistan were off to a disappointing start when they were humiliated 5-0 by Jordon in their Group B opener of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Championship Qualifiers at the Al Qattara Stadium in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Saturday.
In the first half, Pakistan went 2-0 down. After the breather, Jordon netted three more goals to make an impressive start.
Only one team from the four-team group will make it to the next year’s tournament proper in Doha.
Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan are the other teams in Pakistan’s group.
A top official of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said that the losing margin was high.
“The margin is too high but it’s no problem as Jordon are too strong a side,” PFF Director Development and Competitions Pervez Saeed Mir told ‘The News’.
He hailed Pakistan’s gloveman Saqib Hanif’s perfromance.
“I think Saqib played well as he also saved a penalty in the first half,” Mir said. He said twice rescheduling of the event also affected the whole tempo.
“Had the event been held in March in Pakistan, it could have been much better for us as at that time the players were in great form. But it is not an excuse and I hope the team will perform better in the coming matches,” Mir said.
Pakistan will now face Kuwait in their next match on Monday (tomorrow) before facing Kyrgyzstan in their last outing on May 20.
Former Pakistan’s assistant coach Nasir Ismail termed Pakistan’s performance poor.
“It’s the worst performance from the Pakistan side as the boys have been playing together since long,” Nasir said.
However, he was quick to add that the same side did not get international exposure.
“But the bad luck with this team is that it was not given international matches before the tournament.
“Had it been done they would not have lost to Jordon so heavily,” Nasir
said.
PFF secretary Col Ahmed Yar Lodhi also was disappointed by the huge defeat.
“I did not expect that,” Lodhi said. “I have also heard that our keeper saved seven to eight goals,” he said.