Syria crush Pakistan 5-0 to close out AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers

Syria extended their dominance over Pakistan with a commanding 5-0 victory in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying clash at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Mohammad Al-Hallaq opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, converting a pass from Zakaria Hannan to give the visitors an early advantage in a match that carried no impact on the Group E standings.

Having already secured their place in the next round with four straight wins, Syria rested several key players and opted to give emerging talent valuable international exposure.

The second half saw Syria take complete control. Al-Hallaq struck again in the 48th minute, before Yassin Samiah added a third in the 79th minute following a setup by Mahmoud Al Mawas.

In stoppage time, Alaa Al Dali and Samiah added two more goals, assisted by Hasan Dahan and Anas Dahhan respectively, sealing an emphatic 5-0 triumph.

Syria had earlier beaten Pakistan 2-0 in the first leg in March and maintained their upper hand throughout the qualifying campaign.

For Pakistan, the defeat underscored their persistent struggles in Group E, where they remain bottom of the table behind Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The AFC Asian Cup 2027 — the 19th edition of Asia’s premier men’s football championship — will be hosted by Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, featuring 24 teams following the tournament’s expansion in 2019.