Pakistan hold Yemen but exit qualifiers

KARACHI: Pakistan on Monday were shown the exit door when they were held by Yemen to a goalless draw in their second leg tie of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers first round at Khalifa Stadium in Manama, Bahrain.
Yemen, who had beaten Pakistan 3-1 in the first leg in Doha on March 12, won the first round through an aggregate score of 3-1 to make it to the second round.
Pakistan, who needed a 2-0 win to move into the second round, played attacking game but missed several chances.
The tie was earlier scheduled to be held at Lahore on March 17 but was shifted to Bahrain following suicide attacks on churches in the Youhanabad area of Lahore.
Pakistan manager Asghar Khan Anjum was happy, nevertheless, with the way his team played. “We are not worried that we did not qualify for the second round. The important thing for us is that we dominated the game throughout and we were unlucky not to convert so many chances. We missed at least eight to ten goals,” Asghar told ‘The News’ from Manama.
“Luck did not favour us. Keeping a team like Yemen under tremendous pressure is no mean effort,” said Asghar.
He said keeper Muzammil Hussain was replaced in the second half because of injury. “Muzammil did a fine job but in the second half we had to replace him with Saqib Hanif because of an injury,” added the official.
He thanked Bahrain-based Pakistani community for the support. “It was like our home ground as we were strongly supported by our Pakistani brethren living here,” said Asghar.
Pakistan’s former assistant coach Nasir Ismail said it was unfortunate that the home leg was shifted from Pakistan. “A goalless draw is a good effort. I must say if the tie had been held in Lahore, Pakistan could have easily beaten Yemen with the required margin,” Nasir told this correspondent.
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Essa said it was not a bad effort. “Although we did not move ahead, I feel it was a good effort to play such a tough game against a better side,” Essa said.
“The team was formed in a short time. The result of the first leg was also not bad. It must have boosted the morale of the boys and they will perform better in the SAFF Cup,” Essa said.
In the first half, both sides played an attacking game with Yemen looking a little better.
In the third minute, Pakistan were lucky not to concede a goal when a Yemen striker cut in from the left flank but failed to steer it in. In the 10th minute, Yemen got a free-kick but a drive from their player went off the target.
In the 15th minute, Pakistan came close to strike but Mansoor Khan’s pile-driver from distance was splendidly gloved over the bar by Yemen’s keeper.
In the 19th minute, Pakistan’s young midfielder Mohammad Riaz sprinted past the defence but failed to beat the keeper.
Pakistan put a lot of pressure at this stage. In the 25th minute, Hassan Bashir could have put the hosts ahead but his shot on a free-kick rebound went off the target.
In the 28th minute, Pakistan survived a scare when Muzammil smartly gathered a super drive.
At the beginning of the second half, Pakistan replaced Muzammil and sent in Bannu-born Saqib Hanif who made a classic save in the 58th minute.
In the 64th minute, Pakistan could have drawn the blood but their striker’s drive crashed the post. In the 75th minute, Saddam Hussain’s strike missed the bar.
In the 83rd minute, Pakistan boosted their frontline by sending in Mohammad Ali in place of Mohammad Ahmad, but to no avail.