AL-ARDIYA: Etzaz Hussain’s stunning goal earned Pakistan a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan in their second Group E match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers at the Ali Subah Al-Salem Stadium on Tuesday.
Afghanistan got off to a good start and took the lead within five minutes when defender Mahboob Hanifi fired a precise finish past Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif.
However, Pakistan responded well and continued to push for an equalizer before Hussain found the back of the net with a superb field goal to draw his side level and secure a valuable point.
However, Afghanistan’s lead did not last long as midfielder Etzaz Hussain scored the equalizer in the 29th minute to help Pakistan draw 1–1.
The two teams then made several attempts to score the tiebreak, but the scoreboard remained intact until the final whistle, leaving them sharing a point each.
Despite sharing the points, Afghanistan and Pakistan remained third and fourth respectively, with two points in four matches. The former retains the lead thanks to a superior goal difference.
For the inexperienced, Pakistan and Afghanistan played out a draw in their first leg of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in Islamabad last week.
The Green Shirts started the match intensely, launching regular attacks, but were unable to break Afghanistan’s resilient defense in the first half.
Afghanistan’s solid defensive posture successfully prevented Pakistan from taking advantage of its opportunities.
Pakistan had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 67th minute when they were awarded a penalty. However, Otis Khan failed to capitalize, leaving the score unchanged.
Despite the disappointment of missed chances, fans applauded both teams for their spirited performances in a hard-fought draw.
