ISLAMABAD: Pakistan defeated Cambodia 1-0 to register their first-ever victory in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers at Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan football team has now qualified for the second round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, for the first time.

Harun Hamid scored the only goal of the match in the 67th minute to edge Cambodia.

The first leg of the first round of qualifiers which was played in Cambodia was ended without a single goal being scored.

Pakistan team is now placed in Group G in round two of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers along with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan. The winner and the runner-up teams from the group will progress to the third round.

A total of 18 nations that reach the third round will be divided into three groups of six, via a draw conducted at a later date, with the top two nations in each group qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.

The remaining six teams that finished third and fourth in the third round will then be divided into two groups of three teams for the fourth round, with the victor of each group earning a direct entry ticket to the FIFA World Cup.

Finally, in the fifth round, Asia’s representative in the FIFA play-off competition will be decided by a two-legged, home-and-away match between the two runners-up from the fourth round.

Notably, in the 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan took on the same opponent and received a 1-4 thrashing.

Pakistan Squad

Goalkeepers: Usman Ali, Salman ul Haq and Yousaf Butt.

Defenders: Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah, Sohail Khan, Juniad Shah, Ali Khan Niazi, Rao Umar Hayat, Abdullah Iqbal and Easah Suliman.

Midfielders: Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Rajab Ali, Nizamuddin, Harun Hamid and Rahis Nabi.

Forwards: Waleed Khan, Mohammad Waheed, Yousuf, Fareed Khan, Abdul Samad, Otis Khan, Moin Ahmed and Shayak Dost.

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