Defending Champions India Defeat Pakistan in SAFF Championship 2026 Opener

Defending champions India began their SAFF Championship 2026 title defence with a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Pakistan in their Group B opener at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday. The match, which drew significant attention as part of the ongoing SAFF Championship tournament, saw the Blue Tigers establish a commanding lead before surviving a late surge from their opponents.

India adopted a cautious approach early on, focusing on building play from the back with Abhishek Suryavanshi dictating the tempo in a deep midfield role. After an initial offside call against Suhail Ahmad Bhat in the 12th minute, the forward quickly made amends. Just a minute later, he converted a precise cross from Muhammad Suhail to open the scoring. Bhat doubled the lead in the 19th minute, latching onto a through ball from Suryavanshi to finish clinically past goalkeeper Yousuf Butt.

India secured a 3-2 win over Pakistan to start their SAFF Championship 2026 title defence successfully.

Dominance and late drama

The Blue Tigers continued to press their advantage, adding a third goal in the 31st minute through Manglenthang Kipgen, who calmly finished a pass from Noufal PN. Pakistan had an opportunity to reduce the deficit before half-time when they were awarded a penalty following a foul by Suryavanshi on Hayyaan Khattak. However, Shayak Dost sent his spot-kick over the crossbar, ensuring India maintained their three-goal cushion heading into the break.

India maintained control for much of the second half, with Adison Singh Thokchom and Kipgen both coming close to extending the lead. However, the game took a dramatic turn in stoppage time. Najeeb Ullah headed in a cross from Junaid Shah in the 91st minute to put Pakistan on the scoresheet. Three minutes later, Alamgir Ghazi scored with an acrobatic effort to make it 3-2. Despite the late pressure, India held firm to secure the three points.

Why it matters

This victory is a crucial start for India as they look to retain their regional crown. By securing the win, the defending champions have put themselves in a strong position within Group B, with their final group fixture against the Maldives scheduled for November 11.

The result impacts the standings in the SAFF Championship 2026, where the top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. For fans in India and across South Asia, this match highlights the competitive nature of the tournament and sets the stage for the remaining group stage encounters.