Pakistan head coach Nolberto Solano showed sympathy for Bangladesh goalkeeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon after his late mistake handed Pakistan a 1-0 win in the SAFF Championship 2026 semi-final on Saturday.
Srabon had made several important saves throughout the match before his error allowed Abdul Samad to score in the 86th minute.
The goal ended Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching their first SAFF final in 21 years. Asked whether he expected such a mistake, Solano refused to criticise the young goalkeeper.
“Oh no, I mean, it’s part of the game. As I said, you have a very good team and a very good coach. So that’s football, my friend. Sometimes these things happen,” Solano said.
“We had one opportunity, and as you said, anyone can make a mistake. But we are very proud to be in this position today, to play a match like this, win it and reach the final.”
Solano also revealed that stopping Hamza Choudhury was a key part of Pakistan’s plan.
“We knew they had Hamza. He’s a fantastic player, the most experienced player in the team. He didn’t get the ball because we blocked that area, and that was part of our plan,” he said.
Despite knocking Bangladesh out, Solano praised the hosts and urged their fans to keep supporting the team.
“I know Bangladesh football has improved a lot, but that’s football. Keep supporting your country. This is only one tournament, but I believe you have a very bright future,” he said.
