Pakistan Face Do-or-Die Clash Against Maldives as Bangladesh Eye Semi-Final Spot

Pakistan will take the field tomorrow in a fight to stay alive in the SAFF Championship. After losing their opening match, the team faces a difficult equation.

Pakistan began the tournament with a 3-2 defeat against India, so the match against Maldives has become something of a do-or-die battle for them.

In the day's first match, Pakistan and Maldives will meet at 3:30 p.m. Maldives, playing their first match of the tournament, will also want to start with a win.

Maldives coach Istvan Urbani has compared the match against Pakistan to a final. In his view, Pakistan have no option other than tomorrow's match.

Urbani said his team has been preparing for this match from the very first day. For now, all of Maldives' attention is on the game against Pakistan, not on any other match.

In the day's second match, Bhutan will face Sri Lanka at 8 p.m. Bhutan are already under pressure after losing 1-0 to Bangladesh.

A defeat tomorrow would confirm Bhutan's exit from the tournament. A win, however, would keep their semi-final hopes alive. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will want to begin their campaign with a victory in their first match.

The 15th edition of the SAFF Championship began in Dhaka on Nov. 5. Bangladesh and India are in a comfortable position after winning their opening matches.

The semi-final equation could turn out to be simple for Bangladesh. Even without playing, the hosts' path to the last four could be decided by the result of the Sri Lanka-Bhutan match.

If Bhutan fail to win the 8 p.m. clash, Bangladesh will confirm their semi-final place from Group A with a match still in hand.

Expatriate footballers Hamza Choudhury and Farhan Ali will arrive in Dhaka on Nov. 9 to join the SAFF Championship squad. They are expected to join the national team's training the same day. There is also a chance that experienced defender Tapu Barman will return from injury for the match against Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, FIFA has reduced the suspension of Argentina defender Nahuel Molina following the brawl after the World Cup final against Spain. The appeals committee cut his ban from seven matches to four. Leandro Paredes' 10-match suspension, however, remains in place.

Despite speculation about a return to his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys, Lionel Messi is not returning to Argentina for now. One of the greatest footballers in history has decided to stay at Inter Miami. Completing his contract with the American club is now his goal.