BANDUNG: Ali Akbar Khan scored his first international goal to spark a stirring fightback as Pakistan came from two goals down in the first half to hold the Philippines to a 2-2 draw in the Fifa Asean Cup on Tuesday, with Abdul Samad Arshad getting the leveller. Nolberto Solano's men had suffered a 4-0 reverse in their Division I Group B opener against Thailand but they showed incredible powers of recovery in a gritty performance as they got their first goals and the first point in their first-ever appearance in a Fifa competition.

Pakistan, ranked 198th, were put under pressure early on by the 136th-ranked Philippines, with the defence having to deal with a barrage of crosses. Mohibullah Afridi put his body on the line to put a low cross behind for a corner while goalkeeper Yousuf Butt denied Andre Leipold one-on-one. Philippines eventually got on the scoresheet with a scrappy goal in the 24th minute, as Sandro Reyes reacted quickest to a rebound.

Pakistan had their first effort on goal minutes later; Ali Akbar broke through the Philippines defence only to see his effort saved by a diving Kevin Ray Mendoza. Two minutes past the half-hour mark, Philippines made it 2-0 when a handball by Mohammad Fazal inside the box led to a penalty, which Bjorn Kristensen converted past Yousuf.

Head coach Nolberto Solano made changes at halftime, and Pakistan pulled one back two minutes into the second half when Ali Akbar scored through Mendoza's legs from the left. Abdul Samad Arshad then secured the draw by winning the ball on the right, driving into the box, and shooting past Mendoza for his second international goal as Pakistan earned their historic first point.