Pakistan beat Maldives 3-0 at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday, to revive their semi-final hopes in the SAFF Championship.

All three goals came in the first half, with Najibullah scoring twice after Mikail Arun Abdullah’s early penalty.

Pakistan needed a response after their 3-2 defeat to India in the opening match. They attacked from the first whistle, and Maldives struggled to cope with the pressure on their own defence.

The opening goal arrived within minutes. Maldives defender Mohamed Naim fouled Abdullah inside the penalty area in the second minute, and Abdullah converted the spot kick in the fourth to give Pakistan the lead.

Najibullah doubled the advantage in the ninth minute, striking from the edge of the box. Maldives had barely recovered from the penalty when the second goal went in, and the hosts of the match were firmly on the back foot.

He added his second in the 24th minute after a mistake by experienced Maldives defender Amdhan Ali. Najibullah sent a long-range diagonal shot into the net, and Pakistan went into the break with a commanding three-goal cushion.

Maldives made three substitutions after the interval, bringing on forward Ali Fasir, Hussain Sifaau and Nisham Rasheed. The changes brought more urgency, but Pakistan’s lead was never seriously threatened.

Fedu Ibbe sent a shot wide in the 52nd minute. Pakistan goalkeeper and captain Yousuf Ijaz Butt then saved a low effort from Naim in the 66th, and a Maldives goal a minute later was ruled out for offside.

Pakistan almost added a fourth in the 71st minute, when substitute forward Shayak Dost had a chance to extend the lead but could not take it. The three-goal margin stayed until the final whistle.

The win leaves Pakistan with three points from two matches and back in the semi-final race. Maldives are under pressure and face India in their second group match on November 11, where defeat could end their campaign.