Pakistan Storms into FIH Nations Cup Final
Kuala Lumpur (Sports Desk) Pakistan hockey team made it to the final after defeating France 2-3 in a penalty shootout after a thrilling encounter in the semi-final of the FIH Nations Cup.
Goalkeeper Muneeb-ur-Rehman proved to be the hero of the match, playing a key role in the victory by stopping three clear goals in the shootout.
The match remained tied 3-3 until the stipulated time, after which the decision was taken on a penalty shootout. Rana Waheed Ashraf, Hanan Shahid, and Afraz scored goals for Pakistan, while Muneeb-ur-Rehman’s invincible goalkeeping thwarted France’s attacks.
The match started with cautious play, with both teams failing to score in the first quarter.
France took the lead in the second quarter through a goal by Xavier Asmenjou, while in the third quarter, a goal by Victory Charley made the score 0-2.
However, the Green Shirts made a strong comeback, scoring three goals in a few minutes. Goals from Afraz, Sufyan Khan, and Muhammad Hammaduddin gave Pakistan a 2-3 lead.
In the last moments of the match, France scored a penalty corner to level the score. Pakistan had another chance in the last minutes, but Sufyan’s shot missed.
In the penalty shootout, Pakistan maintained their composure in the nerve-wracking moment,s and Muneeb-ur-Rehman’s brilliant performance took Pakistan to the final.
Pakistan’s final will be on June 21 against either New Zealand or Korea at 6 pm.
