Pakistan rued a penalty miss in the first half as their two late goals after the speculated 90 minutes fell short as India began their SAFF Championship 2026 campaign with a 3-2 win at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.

After failing to test the Indian keeper for almost the entire match, Pakistan came alive in the attacking third in the dying minutes, when substitute Najeeb Ullah headed the ball with a header in the first of the four added minutes.

It seemed like a consolation goal after India had already netted three in the first half. But then Alamgir Ali Khan Ghazi reduced the margin further with a strike which is already a goal-of-the-tournament candidate.

In the final minute of added time, Alamgir controlled a wayward ball in the box with two Indian defenders closing in, and then, before the ball touched the ground, struck a volley, with his back turned to the goal, and beat Indian keeper Arsh Anwer Sheikh.

Pakistan looked primed to carry on and score another, but the time, soon, ran out.

Before the last surge, India were in cruise control of the match, scoring three goals in the first half.

Suhail Ahmad Bhat opened the scoring in the 13th minute and doubled the margin inside 17 minutes. At the 32nd minute, Manglenthang Kipgen made it 3-0.

Pakistan’s best chance before the break came through a penalty late in the first half in the 35th minute, but Shayak Dost skied the shot – a costly miss that possibly cost Pakistan a point.