Etzaz Hussain scored his maiden international goal as Pakistan held Afghanistan to a 1-1 draw in their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier at the Ali Sabah al-Salem Stadium in Ardiya, Kuwait, on Tuesday.

The result mirrored last week’s goalless draw between the two sides in Islamabad, leaving both teams tied on two points after four Group ‘E’ matches. With Syria sealing top spot following a 3-0 victory over Myanmar earlier in the day, Pakistan and Afghanistan are now out of contention for the continental showpiece in Saudi Arabia.

Afghanistan, hosting the fixture at a neutral venue, made a strong start and went ahead in the fifth minute when defender Mahboob Hanifi surged forward to fire a low shot past Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib Hanif.

Pakistan responded positively and found the equaliser in the 29th minute through Norway-based midfielder Etzaz Hussain, who latched onto a clever cutback from Otis Khan before swivelling in the box to send a powerful strike beyond Afghan keeper Ovays Azizi.

Both teams continued to push for a winner in the second half, making five substitutions each, but neither side could break the deadlock. Pakistan came closest when Otis Khan missed a second-half penalty that could have secured their first win of the campaign.

Despite failing to claim maximum points, Pakistan showed improved attacking cohesion under new head coach Nolberto Solano, with Etzaz’s performance a bright spot for the Green Shirts.

Pakistan will conclude their Group ‘E’ campaign with home fixtures against Syria and Myanmar in November, while Afghanistan will look to finish on a positive note as they wrap up their qualifying journey.