Kathmandu, 16 November 2022 (TDI): The friendly football match took place between Pakistan and Nepal at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.
The football match was live-streamed and available on Kantipur TV, a Nepal-based TV, and live-streaming platform.
During the match, Nepal beat Pakistan by 1-0. However, Pakistani players exhibited great energy throughout the match despite increasing pressure from the home side.
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Until the very end of the match, it seemed as if Pakistan would come away with a draw. But Nepali footballer Anjan Bista scored the winner.
This was Pakistan men’s national team’s first match in more than three years after FIFA suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). The Green squad consists of a strong 23-men team, including four Denmark-based players.
The match marked the 16th meeting between the two sides. The last match witnessed Pakistan as a winner by 2-1 against Nepal in 2018.
Captain Hassan Bashir and Mohammad Adil scored the goals as the Green Shirts registered a remarkable last-minute win.
It is pertinent to mention here that, ahead of the match, the Pakistan team participated in an extensive training camp in Lahore under the supervision of the head coach, Shehzad Anwar.
FIFA lifts suspension on PFF
Back in 2018, FIFA, football’s world governing body, suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) due to third-party interference.
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The ban took place when a group of Pakistan football officials, led by Ashfaq Hussain Shah, took over the PFF headquarters.
He was elected as PFF President in the 2018 elections on directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. FIFA authorities refused to recognize him as a President while declaring it a third-party intervention.
After that, Ashfaq Hussain took over the headquarters from the PFF Normalization Committee (NC) appointed by FIFA.
Following this incident, FIFA suspended the PFF while saying that the decision is prompted by the “hostile takeover” which constituted a serious violation of its statutes.
Finally, on 29 June 2022, FIFA lifted the ban on PFF, and the Pakistani team was able to participate internally in the football match.
