Pakistan hockey team qualified for world cup after 8 years long time

Pakistan hockey team qualified for world cup after 8 years long time Pak hockey semifinals beat France 3_2 and qualified for the final 2025#hockey #pakistan #france hi of nations hockey cup 2025 Pakistan Vs New Zealand final today play in Kuala Lumpur stadium this match will be started of 6:00 p.m. Pakistan time Pakistan down France 3-2 in penalty shoot-out to reach FIH Hockey Nations Cup final Abdul Ghaffar Pakistan team celebrates after defeating France in the semifinal of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 20. — screengrab Pakistan qualified for the finals of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup after defeating France on Friday in the first semi-final match in Kuala Lumpur. “Excellent goals in the second half, followed by amazing goalkeeping in the shootout,” said the International Hockey Federation while praising the team. DAZHOU: Pakistan continued their impressive run in the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025, securing a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Malaysia in a dramatic semifinal decided by a penalty shootout at the National Hockey Training Centre on Friday. The high-stakes clash ended 3-3 in regular time, pushing the contest into a shootout. In the decisive moments, Pakistan held their nerve as goalkeeper Ghulam Mustafa made a crucial save on Malaysia’s final attempt, sealing his team’s spot in the final. Pakistan got off to a flying start, striking twice within the first eight minutes. Abdullah Awan opened the scoring through a well-executed penalty corner, while Hasan Shahbaz followed up with a field goal to double the lead. However, Malaysia mounted a strong comeback, scoring three consecutive goals to take a 3-2 lead. Hasan Shahbaz then struck again to level the scores at 3-3, a scoreline that remained unchanged until the end of regulation time. In the shootout, Pakistan converted their first three shots while Malaysia missed one, giving the Green Shirts a 3-2 edge. A missed fourth attempt by Pakistan allowed Malaysia to equalise. On the fifth shot, Ali Hanzala calmly slotted the ball home, and Ghulam Mustafa’s decisive save on Malaysia’s final attempt sent Pakistan into the final. Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan displayed dominant form. They began their campaign with a resounding 8-0 win over Hong Kong, followed by a crushing 9-0 victory against Sri Lanka. In their third match, they defeated Bangladesh 6-3, virtually securing a place in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, Pakistan outclassed China 2-1 in a commanding performance to seal a place among the final four. It is pertinent to mention that the Green Shirts will face Japan in the grand finale of the tournament on Sunday at the same venue. Squad: Pak hockey semifinals beat France 3_2 and qualified for the final 2025#hockey #pakistan #france hi of nations hockey cup 2025 Pakistan Vs New Zealand final today play in Kuala Lumpur stadium this match will be started of 6:00 p.m. Pakistan time Pakistan#hockey #pakistan #fihproleague #hockyworldcup #@pakhockeyofficial #@HOCKY #pakistani The national hockey team defeated France 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the match tied at 3-3 till regulation time. Rana Waheed Ashraf was declared the man of the match. Afraz Hakeem, Sufyan Khan and Muhammad Hammaduddin also scored goals for the national team. The final match will be played tomorrow (Saturday). Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Mir Tariq Hussain Bugti and Secretary General Olympian Rana Mujahid Ali Khan congratulated the national team on winning the game and expressed their best wishes for the final, according to a PHF statement. In the second semi-final, New Zealand will take on South Korea at 6pm PKT. The tournament holds high stakes as the winner earns promotion to the elite FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2025–26 season. France and S. Korea earned their spots in the last four from Pool A, with France topping their group. New Zealand and Pakistan emerged from Pool B, with New Zealand securing the top position. Pakistan finished second in Pool B with four points after three matches. Their journey to the semi-finals included a victory against Japan (3-2) and a hard-fought 3-3 draw against host nation Malaysia. Their only defeat in the group stage came against New Zealand in a close 4-3 encounter. Despite the loss to New Zealand, Pakistan secured their semi-final berth due to a superior goal difference over Malaysia, who also finished on four points. India clinches 2-1 victory over Pakistan in Asian Champions Trophy hockey thriller Trump says 'honoured' to meet Field Marshal Munir; Iran discussed in talks