ISLAMABAD: Pakistan qualified for their first-ever South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship final this week, setting up a clash for the trophy with arch-rivals India on Nov. 17.

Pakistan qualified for the final when Abdul Samad struck a sensational 85th-minute goal in Dhaka on Saturday. Coach Nolberto Solano’s men defied sustained pressure from hosts Bangladesh to snatch a dramatic 1-0 victory despite the opposition dominating possession and looking the more likely side to score.

The historic victory means Pakistan’s national football team is now just one win away from lifting the regional title for the first time.

“Pakistan will now face arch-rivals India in the SAFF Championship final on Tuesday, November 17, with Solano’s side looking to cap a historic campaign by claiming their first-ever regional title,” the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Saturday.

Despite seeing far less of the ball in their match against Bangladesh on Saturday, Pakistan carried a greater attacking threat, registering 13 shots compared to Bangladesh’s eight, with seven of those efforts on target against the hosts’ four.

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Syed Mohsin Gilani hailed the win as another landmark in the country’s footballing resurgence.

“We are now in the final of the SAFF Championship for the first time in our history,” Gilani said. “This is a reflection of the hard work done by our national team, the work that is being done by the PFF and we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Pakistan football continues to rise.”

Pakistan has faced many challenges in international football over the years, including multiple suspensions of the country’s domestic premier division in the last couple of years.

In a country where cricket remains the most popular sport watched by millions, football has failed to gain ground with Pakistani masses so far.