ISLAMABAD: Pakistan survived a dramatic late onslaught from a spirited Chinese side to clinch a 5-4 victory in their opening encounter of the Hockey World Cup Qualifying Round at Ismailia, Egypt, on Sunday.
What appeared to be a routine and commanding win for Pakistan suddenly turned into a heart-stopping thriller as China staged a remarkable comeback in the latter half of the match.
Pakistan were cruising at 4-1 by the end of the second quarter, displaying fluent stick-work, sharp attacking moves, and clinical finishing. The Green Shirts dominated possession early on, cutting through the Chinese defence with precision and confidence, leaving little doubt about the likely outcome.
However, the complexion of the match changed dramatically after halftime. China regrouped with renewed intensity and launched a relentless barrage of attacks on the Pakistani defence. Wave after wave of aggressive forays earned them successive penalty corners, putting immense pressure on Pakistan’s backline. Xiaohu capitalized brilliantly, converting two penalty corners in quick succession to narrow the gap to 4-3 and inject fresh belief into his side. The final 20 minutes turned into a survival test for Pakistan. The defence, rattled by China’s pace and structured build-up, struggled to clear lines and regain composure. Despite their vast international experience and superior technical ability, the Pakistani players found themselves pinned back, unable to effectively counter China’s sustained pressure.
China continued to press hard, earning more penalty corners and creating clear scoring opportunities. In the dying moments, they squandered a couple of gilt-edged chances that could have completed a sensational comeback, misses that ultimately saved Pakistan’s blushes.
For Pakistan, Sufiyan Khan, Abubakar Mehmood, Mohammad Imad, Rana Waheed, and Rana Waleed each found the net, contributing crucial goals that proved decisive in the end. China’s resistance was spearheaded by Xiaohu with two well-executed penalty corner conversions, while Zheng and Guan added one each to keep the contest alive till the final whistle.
In the other Group match of the day, Malaysia made a powerful statement by thrashing Austria 6-1 to launch their campaign in emphatic fashion, setting up what promises to be a fiercely competitive group battle.
