LAHORE: Pakistan’s U18 men’s side sit atop Pool B of the Men’s U18 Asia Cup after a hard fought 3–0 victory over China, following a narrow 2–3 defeat to Malaysia, leaving the group tightly poised as the tournament moves into its decisive phase. The Shaheens now prepare to face Bangladesh on Wednesday, June 3 at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium, Kakamigahara.
The mixed results underline how finely balanced Pool B has become: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and China each have three points from two matches, with goal difference currently separating the sides. Pakistan lead the pool on a +2 goal difference, followed by Bangladesh (+1), Malaysia (-1) and China (-2).
Pakistan’s campaign began with a tight encounter against Malaysia in which the visitors were edged out 3–2. The match was a test of character and tactical discipline for the Shaheens: Pakistan created several promising openings but were ultimately undone by a combination of clinical finishing from the hosts and missed chances at key moments.
Despite the loss, Pakistan showed resilience — fighting back to keep the scoreline close and creating late opportunities to force parity. The narrow margin means the team remains very much in contention in a pool where every goal will matter.
Pakistan responded emphatically in their second outing, producing a composed and clinical performance to beat China 3–0. The win showcased the side’s attacking potential and defensive organisation: Pakistan controlled large spells of the match, converted clear chances, and kept a clean sheet to boost their goal difference — a crucial factor in the tightly packed Pool B standings.
