DAZHOU – Pakistan’s U18 hockey team continued their commanding performance at the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025, securing a 2-1 victory over hosts China to finish at the top of Group A and confirm their spot in the semi-finals.
The Green Shirts took the lead in the 11th minute, thanks to a swift field goal by Hassan Shahbaz. Although Pakistan created multiple opportunities through penalty corners in the second quarter, they couldn’t extend their lead before halftime.
In the third quarter, Ali Hanzala doubled Pakistan’s advantage with another sharp finish. China fought back with a penalty corner conversion from Jiaxing Lin, but Pakistan’s goalkeeper Ghulam Mustafa stood tall, denying further attempts and securing the win.
Unbeaten in Group Stage
With this victory, Pakistan remains unbeaten in the group stage, having earlier crushed:
- Hong Kong 8-0
- Sri Lanka 9-0
- Bangladesh 6-3
They finished the group stage with 12 points and an impressive +21 goal difference, emerging as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.
Next Stop: Semi-Final Against Malaysia
Pakistan is now set to face Malaysia in the semi-final match on Friday, July 11. The team’s aggressive style and disciplined defense have positioned them as top title contenders in this edition of the tournament.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.
