Pakistan toyed around with a hapless Bhutan defence blanking them 3-0 to join India on top of the leader board with six points before Kyrgyzstan, despite a depleted line-up taught a lesson or two to Maldives while handing out a 4-0 rout.

The win took the Kyrgyz to six points, but the side from the Central Asian Republic has played three outings -- one more than the subcontinental rivals.

The forward line of the both the victors created space in the respective rival defences and used them with consummate ease and one wondered about the difference in the levels of standard of the teams in the group. That the margins of victory could not be more was mainly of their own makings with both Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan choosing to relax the pace after taking a big lead.

Pakistan were in no way defied about their supremacy in the match and during the initial regulation sparring stage itself, the side had forced as many as five corners.

Pakistan should have rightfully gone ahead during that stage but for some superb goalkeeping by Bhutanese custodian Jigme Singye. Singye, who had conceded three goals against Kyrgyztsan before being replaced in the lung opener, took his performance a notch up and even saved a penalty kick in the 23rd minute palming away Ismail's kick from the spot. The penalty was awarded by referee Tuseev Bagdat when Bhutanese defender Karma Yeshey brought down Pakistani skipper Zulfikar Ali inside the box.

But the valiant attempts of Singye could not stop Pakistan from going ahead two minutes after his penalty save, when he was comprehensively beaten by Zahid Niaz after Burhan Ali's shot rebounded off Karma Yeshey.

Pakistan improved the lead moments before the breather, when Khuda Bux found the net. Latching on to a Asghar through pass Bux utilised linesman Ali Sher's inaction to pull him for off side and headed home for Pakistan to cross over 2-0 ahead.

On resumption, there was certainly more vigour in the Bhutanese attacks, but the Pakistan defence held fort splendidly not to concede any goal. Hem Bahadur Tamang was a hard working man in the Bhutan front-line, but with virtually no support from his colleagues, his efforts went in vain.

Meanwhile, Pakistan reduced the pace of their attacks, content with the lead. Forwards Khuda Bux, Burhan Ali and Zahid Niaz maintained the pressure, but looked more relaxed than the first session.

With about ten minutes left in the match, referee Bagdat sent out Bhutanese Dophu Dokpa for bringing down Amir Khan with an unclean tackle and utilising the extra man advantage, Khuda Bux, completed the rout with four minutes before the final whistle.

Unlike Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan were right away on target in just the second minute of the match, with Sergey Kaliubin adroitly heading home a Sergey Ivanov free kick from the right flank.

The Kyrgyz were completely in control of the match after the lead and went about increasing the score at will. All the following goals from the Kyrgyz side came off attractive solo efforts by their forwards.

Skipper Sergey Ivanov, the live wire of his side's attacks displayed his dodging and dribbling to beat the Maldivian goalkeeper Hameed Hassan in the 18th minute and eight minutes later, Azamat Ishanbaev's darting run down the middle, ripped the netting (literally) of the rival goal.

Ishanbaev capped off another individual effort, this time from the left flank, to score the fourth goal in the 57th minute.