Pakistan Beat Japan 4-3 to End 16-Year Hockey World Cup Win Drought
Pakistan ended a 16-year wait for a victory at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup on Saturday by defeating Japan 4-3 in a dramatic classification-stage encounter in Amstelveen, Netherlands. The Green Shirts recovered from an early two-goal deficit to secure a morale-boosting result at the Wagener Hockey Stadium after a difficult opening phase of the tournament.
Japan made the stronger start and put Pakistan under immediate pressure. Hyota Yamada opened the scoring in the seventh minute before Kaito Tanaka doubled Japan's advantage in the 15th minute, leaving Pakistan 2-0 down at the end of the first quarter. The early setback forced Pakistan to chase the contest against a Japanese side looking to capitalise on its fast opening.
Pakistan began the comeback in the second quarter when Rana Waheed Ashraf scored in the 22nd minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The score remained unchanged until the interval, keeping Pakistan within striking distance before the Green Shirts produced their strongest spell shortly after halftime.
Waheed Ashraf struck again in the 32nd minute to level the match at 2-2. Pakistan then completed the turnaround just a minute later when Muhammad Hammadudin found the net to give his side a 3-2 lead. Japan responded quickly, however, with Koji Yamasaki scoring in the 36th minute to restore parity and set up a tense finish.
The decisive moment came when Hannan Shahid scored Pakistan's fourth goal in the 41st minute. Japan continued to push for another equaliser during the closing stages and tested Pakistan's defence, but the Green Shirts protected their one-goal advantage until the final whistle to seal a 4-3 victory.
The result carried additional significance because it was Pakistan's first win at a Men's Hockey World Cup since the 2010 edition, when they defeated Spain 2-1. Pakistan did not qualify for the 2014 tournament and went through the 2018 World Cup without a victory, making Saturday's result the end of a 16-year drought on the sport's biggest global stage.
Pakistan entered the classification phase after failing to advance from the main group stage. They had lost 4-1 to England, drawn 3-3 with Wales and suffered a 5-3 defeat against arch-rivals India. Those results left Pakistan outside the championship-contending rounds and competing instead for positions between ninth and 16th place.
Although the victory does not put Pakistan back into contention for the World Cup title, it provides an important confidence boost for a team seeking to rebuild its standing in international hockey. Pakistan remain the most successful country in Men's Hockey World Cup history with four titles, but recent decades have brought a prolonged decline from those historic heights. The team's next classification fixtures will offer another opportunity to finish the tournament positively and build momentum for future international competitions.