India began their SAFF Championship 2026 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Pakistan in Dhaka on Thursday. The defending champions made an impressive start and scored three goals in the first half, but Pakistan fought back with two late goals to make the contest tense.
Mohun Bagan forward Suhail Ahmad Bhat was the star of the match, scoring twice for India. He opened the scoring in the 13th minute and doubled India's advantage in the 19th minute with another well-taken goal.
India continued their attacking approach and extended the lead through Manglenthang Kipgen in the 32nd minute. His goal gave the Blue Tigers a comfortable 3-0 advantage before half-time.
Pakistan had an opportunity to reduce the gap before the break after winning a penalty. However, Shayak Dost failed to convert the spot-kick, sending the ball over the crossbar. India went into half-time with a three-goal lead.
The second half brought a different challenge for the Indian side. Pakistan refused to give up and scored twice in stoppage time. Najeeb scored in the 90+1st minute, while Ghazi added another in the 90+4th minute.
Despite the late pressure, India managed to hold on and secure all three points. The 3-2 result gives the defending champions a winning start to their title campaign, although the late goals will be a concern for the coaching staff.
India will next face the Maldives on November 11 in their second Group B match. The team will aim to improve its defensive performance while continuing its push towards the semi-finals.
