DHAKA, Nov 5: India began their SAFF Championship 2026 campaign on a winning note, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 in an exciting Group B encounter at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday. Young forward Suhail Ahmad Bhat emerged as the standout performer, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes, while Manglenthang Kipgen contributed another goal to give the defending champions a commanding advantage.
The Indian side appeared firmly in control for most of the contest, producing an impressive attacking display in the first half. However, Pakistan staged a late comeback after the 90th minute, scoring twice in quick succession and putting pressure on the Indian defence before the final whistle.
Suhail opened India’s account in the 14th minute, giving the team an early advantage. The forward continued to trouble Pakistan’s defence and doubled the lead in the 20th minute with his second goal of the evening. His performance provided India with the momentum needed to dominate the opening exchanges.
India maintained their attacking intensity and extended the advantage in the 32nd minute when Manglenthang Kipgen found the net. The third goal further strengthened India’s position and left Pakistan facing a difficult challenge as the teams approached the interval.
Despite India’s dominance, Pakistan had an opportunity to reduce the deficit during the first half. Shayak Dost was awarded a penalty but failed to convert it, allowing the Indian team to preserve its three-goal advantage.
Pakistan struggled to find a breakthrough for much of the match, while India looked comfortable protecting their lead. The Indian players created opportunities to increase the margin but were unable to add another goal during the second half.
The closing moments, however, brought unexpected drama. Pakistan refused to surrender and managed to score twice after regulation time had reached the 90th minute. Najeeb Ullah reduced the deficit in the 91st minute before Alamgir Ghazi struck again in the 94th minute.
The two quick goals suddenly transformed the closing stages into a tense contest. India, which had appeared comfortably ahead, was forced to concentrate on defending its advantage. Nevertheless, the Blue Tigers held on to secure all three points and begin their title defence successfully.
The victory was particularly significant because India entered the tournament with a considerably reshuffled squad. The main national team was not participating in the competition as it was preparing for two international friendly matches against New Zealand on November 12 and 15 in Auckland and Christchurch.
The Indian squad available for the opening fixture consisted of a second-string group, with only 18 players initially travelling to Dhaka. The All India Football Federation had announced that the remaining players would join the team in the following days.
Another challenge for India was the timing of the opening match. The encounter against Pakistan took place outside the FIFA international window, which runs from November 9 to 17. As a result, Indian Super League clubs were not required to release their players for the fixture, limiting the options available to the national coaching staff.
The situation meant that head coach Naushad Moosa had to depend on a relatively young group of players to begin the campaign. Moosa, who also handles the India under-23 national team, was assisted by Bibiano Fernandes.
Despite the limited availability of players, India’s performance in the opening half demonstrated the attacking potential within the squad. Suhail’s two goals and Kipgen’s contribution provided evidence that the younger players could shoulder responsibility in an important regional competition.
The late defensive lapse, however, is likely to provide the coaching staff with an area requiring attention. Allowing two goals in the closing minutes after establishing a three-goal lead highlighted the importance of maintaining concentration until the final whistle.
India will need to improve their defensive organisation as the competition progresses, particularly against opponents capable of exploiting spaces during counterattacks. While the result was positive, the closing stages showed that even a substantial advantage cannot be considered secure until the match is over.
The tournament also offers an opportunity for several emerging Indian footballers to gain valuable international experience. Playing against regional rivals such as Pakistan provides young players with exposure to high-pressure situations that can contribute to their development.
India have enjoyed considerable success in the SAFF Championship, having won the regional competition nine times in its previous 14 editions. The team has also finished runners-up on four occasions and secured third place once. Pakistan, meanwhile, have a comparatively limited record in the tournament, with their best performance being a third-place finish in 1997.
Pakistan entered the competition looking to improve their regional standing under head coach Nolberto Solano, a former Peruvian international who took charge of the national team last year. Although Pakistan had suffered defeats against Thailand and Vietnam in their recent ASEAN Cup Group B campaign, they had shown signs of improvement in their other matches.
Their late response against India demonstrated their ability to remain competitive even when trailing by a considerable margin. The two goals in stoppage time also provided some encouragement ahead of their remaining group fixtures.
For India, the immediate priority will be to build on the opening victory and secure qualification for the knockout stage. The defending champions are scheduled to face the Maldives on November 11 in their second Group B match.
The six-team championship has been divided into two groups. India, Pakistan and the Maldives are placed in Group B, while hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan form Group A.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled to take place on November 14. The tournament final is set for November 17.
With the competition featuring several closely matched regional sides, every group-stage result could prove important in determining the semi-final line-up. India’s opening victory has given them a positive start, although the team will be aware that stronger challenges lie ahead.
The performance of Suhail Ahmad Bhat will also attract attention as the tournament continues. His ability to convert early opportunities and make an impact against Pakistan could strengthen his prospects of becoming an important attacking option for Indian football.
India will now look to carry the confidence from Thursday’s result into their next fixture while addressing the defensive weaknesses exposed in the closing minutes. The 3-2 victory has provided the defending champions with a valuable opening result, but their overall performance suggests there is still room for improvement as they pursue another SAFF Championship title.