Pakistan, Nov. 6 -- Pakistan's footballers almost turned humiliation into heroics in Dhaka on Thursday. Three goals down against India in their SAFF Championship opener, Nolberto Solano's men struck twice in stoppage time through Najeebullah and Alamgir Ghazi, whose spectacular overhead kick brought the score to 3-2. India survived the late onslaught, leaving Pakistan to contemplate a defeat made all the more frustrating by what might have been. Elsewhere, however, Pakistan's sporting fortunes have taken a more encouraging turn.

The football result exposed familiar weaknesses. Suhail Ahmad Bhat's first-half double and Manglenthang Kipgen's third left Pakistan chasing shadows. India, ranked 138th against Pakistan's 197th, have nine SAFF t...