HISOR: Zahmena Malika’s decider helped Pakistan women’s football team beat hosts Tajikistan 1-0 and grab the consolation win in their maiden qualifying campaign for the Olympics on Tuesday.
The England-based forward netted the ball in the 25th minute as Pakistan, already out of the race to advance to the second round of qualifying for next year’s Paris Olympics, ended their campaign on a positive note and finally got some points on the board.
With the win, Pakistan finished third in Group E after having lost to the Philippines and Hong Kong in the previous matches.
FT: 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 0️⃣-1️⃣ Pakistan 🇵🇰
Pakistan get the win to round up their Women's Olympic Qualifiers Round 1 with all three points in Group E! pic.twitter.com/gXYyLfNcMs
— #AsianCup2023 (@afcasiancup) April 11, 2023
The London Seaward forward got on the end of a superb through ball by Amina Hanif, springing the offside trap before running through and calmly slotting it past the Tajikistan goalkeeper to give her side the lead. It was also Pakistan’s first goal in the qualifiers.
The London Seaward attacker connected with Amina Hanif’s excellent through ball, beating the offside trap before slotting Pakistan’s first-ever goal in the Olympics qualifiers.
The Philippines, who beat Hong Kong 2-0 earlier on Tuesday, secured a ticket to the next round.
In the first round of Olympic Qualifiers, 26 Asian teams, divided across seven groups, participated.
Winners from each group will join Asia’s five highest-ranked teams – North Korea, Japan, Australia, China and South Korea – in the second round of the Paris 2024 Olympic women’s football qualifiers to be held in October.
The three group winners and one best-placed runner-up from the second round will play for the two spots for Paris 2024 Olympics in the final round to be held in November-December 2023.
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