Pakistan Beat China 4-2 to Continue Strong Junior Asia Cup Start

Pakistan's junior hockey team continued its encouraging Men's Junior Asia Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over hosts China, securing another strong result in the tournament being played in China. The win came in Pakistan's second match of the competition and followed an emphatic opening performance against Kazakhstan.

Hamza Fayyaz delivered the standout individual performance against China, scoring twice and earning the Player of the Match award. Pakistan made an immediate impact when Fayyaz found the net in the second minute, giving the Green Shirts an early advantage and setting the tone for an attacking contest against the host nation.

Nadeem Khan added Pakistan's second goal in the 18th minute through a penalty corner. China responded in the 26th minute when Wang Yubo converted a penalty corner, reducing the deficit and keeping the hosts within reach as the match developed.

Pakistan restored their two-goal cushion after the interval when Abdul Sami scored a field goal in the 35th minute. Fayyaz then struck again in the 51st minute to complete his brace and give Pakistan a commanding position. China managed another goal through Ao Dongzi in the 54th minute, but Pakistan protected their advantage through the closing stages to complete the 4-2 victory.

The result followed Pakistan's dominant 15-0 win over Kazakhstan in their earlier Pool B match. In that fixture, Rana Abdul Sami and Rana Waleed scored four goals each, while Nadeem Khan also contributed twice. The back-to-back performances have shown Pakistan's ability to score heavily as well as manage a more competitive contest against the tournament hosts.

Pakistan Hockey Federation President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani congratulated the players and team officials after the China victory. He praised the squad's performance and expressed support for the team as it prepares for its remaining matches in the continental competition. The federation will be hoping the junior side can maintain its early momentum as the tournament progresses.

For Pakistan, the successive victories provide an important boost to a junior programme seeking to build a strong pipeline for the national hockey setup. Competitive performances at Asian youth level are closely watched because they provide emerging players with international exposure and an opportunity to develop against leading regional opposition.

Pakistan's next challenge will be to sustain the balance between attacking pressure and defensive discipline that helped secure the win over China. With two convincing performances now recorded in the tournament, attention will turn to the remaining fixtures as the Green Shirts seek to extend their successful start and advance deeper into the Junior Asia Cup.