On Monday, the Pakistan hockey team achieved their first victory in the Asian Champions Trophy, defeating China with a scoreline of 2-1 in their fourth match during the ongoing tournament in Chennai.
In a crucial match, the Pakistani team displayed great potential by fending off an early charge from China in the first quarter, resulting in a goalless draw. However, in the 20th minute, Pakistan’s Sufiyan Khan capitalized on a penalty corner, scoring the first goal of the game.
China managed to level the score in the third quarter when Jiesheng Gao netted the ball in the 33rd minute, making it 1-1. Nonetheless, Pakistan responded with determination, and six minutes later, Afraz scored another goal, securing a lead of 2-1 for his team.
No further goals were scored until the end, and Pakistan emerged victorious, securing their first win in the tournament. Their next challenge will be against arch-rivals India on August 9, and if they win that match, they will qualify for the semi-finals.
The day before, Pakistan had a thrilling encounter with Japan, resulting in a 3-3 draw. Despite falling behind, Pakistan’s never-give-up spirit allowed them to equalize in the final minutes of the match.
The tournament’s format includes six teams playing five matches each in the round-robin stage. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, with the final scheduled for the following day. Pakistan and India, each with three Asian Champions Trophy titles, are the most successful teams in the event, while Korea claimed the title in 2021 after defeating Japan in the final.
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