JAKARTA – Pakistan’s women’s football team made a powerful comeback on Wednesday by defeating host nation Indonesia 2-0 in their second group match of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers. This win comes after their heavy 8-0 loss to Chinese Taipei last week, marking a major turnaround in Group D play.
The match kicked off with high energy as forward Nadia Khan opened the scoring just eight minutes into the game. The lead was doubled in the 19th minute by Suha Hirani, who calmly converted a penalty. Despite multiple substitutions and efforts from the Indonesian side, Pakistan maintained their lead and secured a historic win.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) hailed the victory as a milestone moment in women’s football, posting on X: “Power, passion, and purpose on full display.” Ranked 95th, Indonesia were the favorites on paper, but Pakistan’s resilience and tactical discipline turned the odds.
According to the AFC press release, Indonesia struggled to respond effectively, even after introducing key players like Isa and Marsela Yuliana Awi. Pakistani captain Maria Khan led the defence with composure, while the whole squad showed coordination and hunger to bounce back from the earlier defeat.
Pakistan’s final group match will be against Kyrgyzstan on July 5. A win there could strengthen their bid for qualification and further inspire the growing momentum behind women’s football in the country.