Pakistan thrash Maldives to reach SAFF football semis

Pakistan under-16 football team on Wednesday registered a convincing win over Maldives to march into the semi-final of the SAAF Football Championship being played at Dasrath Stadiumin Nepal. Mohammad Bilal fired in four goals while Sher Ali got two in Pakistan’s 6-0 win over Maldives. It was a convincing win that let the Pakistan through to the semi-finals.
The teams were just five minutes into the game when Pakistan got the first penalty corner and Bilal sliced in a header from a perfect corner kick from Mansoor Khan and Pakistan was one goal ahead.
Pakistan team had a brilliant a start to the championship when they banged India 1-0 and that confidence-boosting win developed them into a team dying for an away win. The way Pakistan dominated the first half, the score should have been 3-0 but it remained 1-0 and the second session provided much of the thrilling moves from the green shirts. As the match entered the second session, the first major threat came from the islanders as their forwards kick hit the bar. Bilal came up with his second goal in the 56th minute of the match when he received a clean cross from Sher Ali. All Bilal did was just tap the ball in.
Sher Ali nearly made the score 3-0 but was found off-side in the 65th minute, otherwise the ball was in the pocket. The Maldives team remained dull throughout the whole duration and there was just a couple of attacks from their side.
In the 79th minute of the match Sanaullah cross from the right flank found Sher Ali leaning forward to head the ball home. Maldives defence was cajoled up again and the score was 3-0. The very next minute Sher Ali with his nibble footwork made the Madlives defence and goalie Sahreef nervous in the rain to score the fourth goal from Pakistan side.
Bilal, four minutes afterwards, with his solo effort dribbled past two Maldives defenders and hit the fifth goal and completed his hat-trick. Bilal was on song. When the game reached 90th minute, his 25 yard straight hit deceived every one from the opposition and Pakistan were six goals up. Another four minutes were added to the game but the score remained the same (6-0) with Pakistan enjoying the ride to the semi-finals.