-
-
Pakistan secured a place in the Nations Hockey Cup final after a thrilling semi-final victory over France, winning through a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw.
In the semi-final clash, France led 2-0 by the end of the second quarter. However, Pakistan staged a strong comeback with three goals in the third quarter to take the lead.
The French team equalized in the final quarter, pushing the match to a shootout where Pakistan emerged victorious, with successful attempts from Afraz, Sufyan Khan, and Rana Waheed.
The match remained intense throughout, with both teams showing strong defense and skillful attacks. The penalty shootout ended 3-1 in Pakistan’s favor, confirming their place in the final.
Pakistan’s journey to the final has been full of ups and downs. They defeated Japan in the group stage but lost narrowly to New Zealand with a scoreline of 4-3.
Earlier, Pakistan drew 3-3 against Malaysia in their tournament opener. With a better goal average, they secured a semi-final spot and took full advantage of the opportunity.
France, on the other hand, played a solid tournament and came close to victory but could not stop Pakistan’s momentum in the decisive penalty round.
