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ISMAILIA: Pakistan’s men’s hockey team sealed a thrilling 5-4 win over China in their opening game of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
The Green Shirts bagged crucial three points with captain Ammad Butt leading from the front and earning the Player of the Match award.
It was Pakistan who struck first, with Sufyan Khan scoring the first goal in the seventh minute of the game. The first half belonged to Pakistan.
However, China made a comeback in the second quarter as Shihao DU got one through the nets to level the score.
Soon after, Pakistan doubled the score line with back-to-back goals in the 19th and 20th minutes of the game. Rana Waheed Ashraf and Muhammad Ammad were the goal scorers.
The second half ended with the scoreline of 3-1.
Pakistan further consolidated their grip in the match as Abu Mahmood found the back of the net to give his side a 4-1 lead in the 34th minute of the match.
But China broke the deadlock with two goals, making a strong comeback as Shihao and Quyang Guan pulled their side back into contention.
However, the response was immediate. Just under a minute later, RanaWaleed restored the two-goal cushion with a decisive finish at 42:37, taking the score to 5-3.
China piled the pressure on Pakistan with an early fourth-quarter strike, but the Green Shirts held firm to clinch a thrilling victory despite conceding two late penalty corners.
For the unversed, Pakistan are slotted alongside China, Malaysia, and Austria in pool B of the Hockey World Cup qualifiers.
The top four teams from the overall tournament will earn qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
