Pakistan edge Japan 4-3 to qualify for Hockey World Cup after 8 years – Sport

LAHORE: Pakistan produced an impressive performance to beat Japan 4-3 in the semi-final of the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifier at the Suez Canal Authority Hockey Stadium in Egypt on Friday.

The victory guaranteed the Green Shirts a place in the World Cup and marks their return to the global event after eight years. The tournament will be jointly organized by Belgium and the Netherlands in August.

The Pakistan team, led by Ammad Butt, was trailing 3-1 in the third quarter of the match against Japan, when they scored three goals in the last nine minutes of the final quarter to take a 4-3 lead, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Ammad gave his team the lead in the ninth minute with a stunning field goal. The lead, which remained intact until the end of the first quarter, was neutralized in the second quarter (minute 21) when the Japanese Ryoma Ooka scored a field goal.

In an inspiring spectacle, Japan took control of the match in the penultimate quarter when Shota Yamada (35th minute) and Yamasaki Koji (40th minute) scored in quick succession to take a solid 3-1 lead.

However, in a sensational comeback in the last quarter, Pakistan’s Abu Bakr Mahmood, Sufyan Khan and Afraz scored a goal each in the 52nd, 55th and 57th minutes respectively to regain the lead which remained intact until the final whistle.

Just two minutes before the end of the match, Japan missed a golden opportunity to equalize when Fujishima Raiki missed a penalty.

Pakistan have put up an impressive show in the qualification phase, winning all their group matches against China (5-4), Malaysia (5-3), Austria (4-2) and Japan (4-3).

Ammad and company will now face England, who defeated Malaysia 7-1 in the other quarter-final match, in the final of the qualifying event at the same venue on Saturday.

Pakistan, once a giant force in world hockey and a four-time World Cup winner, failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup held in The Hague, Netherlands, and finished poorly in 12th position in the 16-nation edition held in Bhubaneswar, India in 2018. Pakistan also failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup held in the Indian city of Odisha.