Pakistan’s junior hockey team secured a place in the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup after playing out a 2-2 draw against Japan in their last round-robin match at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru on Friday.
Hamza Fayyaz struck in the 34th minute and Ghulam Mustafa found the net in the 43rd minute as Pakistan twice fought back from behind to earn the draw and seal their spot in the title clash.
Qualification Decided on Goals Scored
Both Pakistan and Japan finished the league stage with seven points and an identical goal difference of plus eight. Pakistan, however, advanced on the basis of having scored more goals, netting 18 compared with Japan’s 16.
The Green Shirts ended the preliminary round with two victories, one draw and one defeat:
- An emphatic 8-3 win over China to open their campaign
- A 6-2 victory over Canada
- Their only loss came against hosts Malaysia, who edged Pakistan 3-2
Unbeaten Malaysia Await in the Final
Pakistan will face Malaysia in the final on Saturday at the same venue. The hosts have remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and had already secured their place in the championship decider.
The final offers Pakistan an opportunity to cap their campaign by claiming the Sultan of Johor Cup title against an unbeaten Malaysian side.
