KUALA LUMPUR – Pakistan registered their first victory in the FIH Nations Cup 2025 with a competitive 3-2 win over Japan on Monday.
The match opened with an early goal from Ghazanfar Ali, giving Pakistan an initial lead. Japan responded swiftly, as Kazumasa Matsumoto equalised almost immediately, followed by a goal from Koji Yamasaki, putting Japan ahead 2-1 by the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Pakistan increased their offensive pressure but struggled to break through Japan’s disciplined defence. Their efforts paid off early in the third quarter when Rana Waheed Ashraf levelled the score.
The decisive moment came in the fourth quarter when Mohammad Sufyan Khan scored the match-winning goal eight minutes before full-time, sealing a well-earned victory for Pakistan.
Pakistan squad: Ammad Butt (captain), Rana Waheed Ashraf (vice-captain), Muneer-ur-Rehman, Abdullah Ishtiaq, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Abdul Manan, Hamad Anjum, Arshad Liaquat, Moeen Shakeel, Zikriya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Salman Razaq, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz Khan, Abdul Rehman, Ahmed Nadeem, and Mohibullah.
This victory provides a strong morale boost as Pakistan looks to build momentum in the upcoming matches of the tournament.
