Syria’s national football team delivered a commanding performance against Pakistan, securing a comprehensive 5-0 triumph in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying encounter at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.
Mohammad Al-Hallaq emerged as the star performer, netting twice to spearhead Syria’s dominant display. The forward opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, connecting with Zakaria Hannan’s precise delivery to give the visitors an early advantage in this Group E fixture.
Having already clinched qualification for the tournament’s next phase with four consecutive victories, Syria opted to rotate their lineup, providing squad depth players with crucial international exposure. The strategic decision didn’t diminish their effectiveness on the pitch.
Syria intensified their dominance after halftime. Al-Hallaq doubled his personal tally just three minutes into the second period, before Yassin Samiah extended the lead in the 79th minute courtesy of Mahmoud Al Mawas’s assist.
The visitors completed their rout during stoppage time, with Alaa Al Dali and Samiah striking late goals. Hasan Dahan and Anas Dahhan provided the assists respectively, capping a clinical attacking performance.
This result continues Syria’s superiority over their South Asian opponents, following their earlier 2-0 victory during the first-leg meeting in March.
Pakistan’s struggles in Group E persist, with the team languishing at the bottom of their qualifying group behind Myanmar and Afghanistan. The heavy defeat underscores the developmental challenges facing Pakistani football.
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup represents the tournament’s 19th edition and will be hosted in Saudi Arabia from January 7 through February 5, featuring 24 nations following the competition’s expansion in 2019.
