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KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakistan hockey team defeated Japan 3-2 to register their first victory in the ongoing FIH Nations Cup 2025 here on Monday.
Pakistan took the lead in the first quarter when Ghazanfar Ali unleashed an electrifying strike that found the back of the net.
However, the response from Japan was swift and decisive; just a minute later, Kazumasa Matsumoto scored the equaliser.
Koji Yamasaki then deftly snatched the lead for Japan with a stunning goal, finishing the first quarter with a compelling score of 2-1 in their favour.
Pakistan displayed tremendous grit and resilience in the second quarter, launching a series of aggressive attacks.
Despite their relentless efforts, breaking through Japan’s formidable defence proved to be a daunting task.
However, their perseverance finally bore fruit in the early moments of the third quarter, when Rana Waheed Ashraf found the net, igniting the hopes of the Pakistani team and levelling the score at 2-2.
Pakistan hockey team did not stop there as they continued their efforts to gain an advantage in the fourth quarter, and Sufyan Khan struck the match-winning goal for them eight minutes before the final whistle.
Ammad Butt (captain), Rana Waheed (vice captain), Muneer-ur-Rehman, Abdullah Ishtiaq, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Abdul Manan, Hamad Anjum, Arshad Liaquat, Moeen Shakeel, Zikriya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Salman Razaq, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz Khan, Abdul Rehman, Ahmed Nadeem and Mohibullah.
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