Nagoya, September 24, 2026: Pakistan continued their impressive campaign in the Asian Games 2026 men’s hockey competition with a comfortable 3-0 victory over China in their Pool B match at the Kawasaki Juko Stadium on Thursday.
Captain Abubakar Mahmood, Hannan Shahid and Sufyan Khan scored one goal each as Pakistan secured their third consecutive victory in the tournament.
After a goalless opening quarter, Pakistan broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when skipper Mahmood converted a penalty corner.
Sufyan Khan doubled Pakistan’s lead five minutes later, also finding the net from a penalty corner, before Hannan Shahid added a third goal with a superb field strike in the 28th minute.
The three-goal burst gave Pakistan a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime. Despite Zikriya Hayat receiving a green card in the penultimate quarter, Pakistan maintained their advantage until the final whistle as China failed to find a breakthrough.
The victory followed Pakistan’s emphatic 9-0 win over Thailand in their opening match and a 5-1 victory against Uzbekistan in their second league-stage fixture.
Pakistan’s third straight win consolidated their second position in Pool B with nine points and a goal difference of +16. Malaysia also have nine points but lead the group on goal difference (+24) after their first three matches.
Pakistan will next face Malaysia on Saturday at the same venue in a crucial penultimate league-stage fixture that will determine the top position in Pool B.
