Pakistan wrapped up their women’s Asia Cup qualifying campaign with a strong 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan on Saturday. The match took place at the Sport Centre Kelapa Dua Stadium in Tangerang, Indonesia.
Although Pakistan did not qualify for the main women’s Asia Cup tournament, their overall performance showed great improvement. The team won two of their three games, both against higher-ranked opponents.
Pakistan’s forward Maryam Mahmood was the star of the match. She scored both goals in the first half. Her first came in just the fourth minute, and the second followed in the 26th minute from the penalty spot.
Kyrgyzstan’s Alina Gaparova scored in the 69th minute to reduce the lead. However, Pakistan defended well to maintain their advantage and finish the game with a deserved win.
The stats favored Pakistan throughout the match. They had 16 shots compared to Kyrgyzstan’s 10 and earned eight corner kicks against four. Pakistan also created 48 dangerous attacks, highlighting their attacking mindset.
This win followed Pakistan’s earlier 1-0 victory over Indonesia, who are ranked 95th in the world. These results are notable, especially as Pakistan is ranked 157th, while Kyrgyzstan holds the 136th position.
Despite a tough 0-8 loss to Chinese Taipei in the opening game, Pakistan bounced back well. Their overall performance in the qualifiers shows clear progress and growing potential in women’s football.
The campaign may be over, but Pakistan’s journey in the women’s Asia Cup qualifiers ended on a positive note. The results offer hope for the future of the women’s national team. With continued support and development, Pakistan can aim higher in future international competitions.Pakistan ended their women’s Asia Cup qualifying campaign on a high with a 2-1 win over Kyrgyzstan. The performance reflected notable progress in the national setup, much like recent changes in the men’s team where the PCB replaced fielding coach Masroor with McDermott ahead of Asia Cup.
