Pakistan Beat Japan 4-3 for First Hockey World Cup Win in 16 Years
AMSTELVEEN: Pakistan produced a dramatic comeback to defeat Japan 4-3 in their FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup classification match at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in the Netherlands, earning a morale-boosting victory after falling two goals behind in the opening quarter. The result marked Pakistan’s first win at a men’s World Cup in 16 years and provided an important lift after a difficult opening phase of the tournament.
Japan controlled the early exchanges and converted that pressure into a two-goal advantage. Hyota Yamada opened the scoring in the seventh minute before Kaito Tanaka struck in the 15th, leaving Pakistan facing a 2-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter. The Green Shirts needed a rapid response to prevent Japan from taking complete control of the classification encounter.
Pakistan began their recovery through Rana Waheed Ashraf, who reduced the deficit in the 22nd minute. The forward then struck again in the 32nd minute to bring Pakistan level at 2-2. Barely a minute later, Hammaduddin Muhammad completed the turnaround by putting Pakistan ahead 3-2, transforming a match that had initially appeared to be moving firmly in Japan’s favour.
The contest remained open, however, as Japan responded almost immediately. Koji Yamasaki scored in the 36th minute to restore parity at 3-3 and ensure a tense finish. Pakistan regained the advantage in the 41st minute when Shahid Hannan found the net for what proved to be the decisive goal. Japan pushed for another equaliser during the closing stages, but Pakistan’s defence protected the one-goal lead until the final whistle.
Rana Waheed Ashraf finished as Pakistan’s leading scorer in the match with two goals, while Hammaduddin Muhammad and Shahid Hannan contributed one each. Japan’s goals came through Yamada, Tanaka and Yamasaki. The seven-goal contest highlighted Pakistan’s ability to recover under pressure after conceding twice early and then withstand Japan’s late attempts to force another comeback.
The victory came during the 9th-to-16th-place classification phase rather than the main title race. Pakistan, four-time world champions, returned to the World Cup this year after missing the previous edition. Their campaign in the opening stage had prevented them from progressing into the next phase of the championship, leaving the classification matches as an opportunity to finish the tournament strongly and gain valuable international experience.
The result nevertheless carries significance for Pakistan hockey, which has been seeking to rebuild its standing on the international stage after years away from the sport’s biggest competition. Ending a lengthy wait for a World Cup victory offers encouragement for a squad attempting to restore confidence and competitiveness against leading international opponents. Pakistan will now look to build on the Japan result in its remaining classification fixtures as the World Cup continues in Belgium and the Netherlands.