Pakistan Lose 4-2 to Gambia After Bright FIFA U15 Start
Pakistan suffered a 4-2 defeat against Gambia in their opening match of the FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Baku, surrendering an early two-goal lead after a dramatic second-half comeback.
The young Shaheens made an impressive start. They scored the first two goals of the tournament and put Gambia under early pressure, before the African side fought back to win.
Two early goals, then a comeback
Ameer Hamza opened the scoring in the fifth minute. Collecting the ball on the right near halfway, he drove towards the Gambian defence and unleashed a powerful strike past the goalkeeper.
Hamza then helped create Pakistan’s second goal. He won a tackle that sent the ball towards Baxi Hamal Khan. Advancing from the left, Baxi produced a superb finish into the top corner to double Pakistan’s lead.
Gambia responded before half-time, reducing the deficit and shifting the momentum ahead of the interval. The African side carried that momentum into the second half, equalising early after the ball slipped past Pakistan goalkeeper Shayan. Gambia continued to press, forcing Pakistan to defend deep as they sought to regain control.
Pakistan gradually settled and began creating chances of their own. Kaleemullah tested the Gambian goalkeeper repeatedly, forcing several saves as the Shaheens tried to restore their advantage.
Gambia then struck again on a swift counter-attack. A player collected the ball before firing a powerful left-footed effort into the corner to put his side ahead. The comeback was completed when Gambia added a fourth goal with a curling strike into the top corner, sealing a 4-2 victory after trailing by two goals.
Why the defeat still carries encouragement
Despite the defeat, Pakistan’s opening performance offered encouragement, particularly through the attacking contributions of Hamza and Baxi. Their goals showed that the team can compete at this level, even against a side that found a way back into the game.
That point matters for a squad at this age. A two-goal lead lost to a comeback is a harsh lesson, but it is a lesson learned against international opposition, in a tournament setting, with a packed schedule still to come. The response in the next two days will tell more about this team than the opening hour did.
Pakistan’s squad, named by head coach Ihsanullah Khan, has 14 players. They were picked on the basis of their performances in the PFF National U-17 Championship, and they travelled from Islamabad to Baku on October 20. The tournament marks a historic milestone for Pakistan football, because this is the first Pakistani squad to take part in a FIFA World Cup event.
How this tournament works
The FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival is not a conventional World Cup. It is a development festival built around short, fast games. Matches are played eight-a-side, with each game made up of two 20-minute halves, so young players get more touches and more playing time.
Around 190 FIFA member associations are taking part, divided into 32 groups. Pakistan are in Group AD alongside Gambia, South Sudan, Cyprus, Jordan and Nigeria. The qualification stage runs from October 24 to 26, with teams then sorted into six performance tiers. The tier finals will be held at Baku Crystal Hall on October 30, while most games take place at the Hovsan Competition Complex.
