Pakistan Triumphs Over China with Dominant 5-1 Victory in Asian Champions Trophy

Pakistan secured a decisive 5-1 win against China in the Asian Champions Trophy, maintaining their unbeaten streak. With this victory, they advanced to the second spot in the points table, staying in contention for the semifinals. Key contributions came from Abdul, Nadeem, and Shahid.

Pakistan continued its unbeaten run in the Asian Champions Trophy, securing a commanding 5-1 victory against hosts China at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir, China. This triumph elevated Pakistan to the second spot in the points table, keeping their semifinal hopes alive with one day of league play remaining. Goals poured in from Rehman Abdul (23'), Ahmad Nadeem (36', 56'), and Hannan Shahid (46', 60'), while Jiesheng Gao (48') netted the lone goal for China.

As day four concluded, India maintained its lead on the points table, followed by Pakistan at second, Korea at third, and Malaysia nudging past China. Pakistan initially struggled with their offense, allowing China to penetrate their striking circle easily. The home team, buoyed by the crowd, managed six circle entries and four shots on goal early on but failed to bypass Pakistan's steadfast defense.

After an uneventful first quarter, Pakistan picked up the pace, creating several scoring opportunities. Abdul broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, followed by Nadeem's goal in the 36th minute. Although a penalty stroke save by Chinese goalkeeper Weihao Wang provided temporary relief to the home fans, Pakistan soon found the net again with a 46th-minute goal from a clever PC variation. Despite China pulling one back through a PC goal by Gao in the 48th minute, Pakistan sealed their victory with two more late goals from Nadeem and Shahid.

Hero of the Match, Hannan Shahid, highlighted the team's collective effort and their learning curve throughout the tournament. "We were conceding too many cards at the start, but today we only had one. This award is a result of my team's efforts in creating opportunities for me to score," Shahid remarked, expressing satisfaction with the team's progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)