AL AHSA, Saudi Arabia – When Stephen Constantine take over as head coach for Pakistan football team 18 months ago, him clear say dem aim be to qualify for the Asian Cup. As Pakistan prepare to face Syria on Tuesday in Group ‘E’, na im be chance for dem to enter third round of the qualifiers for the first time. Group winner go get chance for the tournament wey go happen for Saudi Arabia, alongside Myanmar and Afghanistan as dem other teams.
Since Constantine come, di football situation for Pakistan no don change much. Di coach don dey advocate for proper domestic league to give local players regular games, but sadly, players go again dey rely on training alone as foreign-based players still dey come join dem for this crucial match. Last time, di team no fit win any match in di second round of qualifiers wey dem mix with di preliminaries for di 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now, dem dey face one tough opponent like Syria, wey don qualify for di last two Asian Cups.
Syria don dey show strong performance, especially with their forward line wetin get stars like Omar Khribin, wey win di 2017 AFC Asian Player of di Year, and Omar Al Soma. Even though Syria dey play dem home games for neutral venue, Pakistan don get experience for di Prince Abdullah Bin Jalwai Stadium, where dem don lose 4-0 to Saudi Arabia for second round of di qualifiers in November 2023.
Despite all odds, Pakistan go enter dis match as underdogs, but dem get strategist like Constantine wey sabi how to get results. E don show say e fit turn around di team morale and tactical approach if dem fit apply di right pressure and capitalize on any chance wey Syria go miss.
“We no go take dem lightly,” Constantine talk as e prepare di team for di showdown. “We dey put everything for dis match because we know sey our chances for qualification dey depend on how we play against strong teams like Syria.”
