Malaysia, India, and Pakistan Secure Crucial Victories as Semifinal Race Intensifies
Moqi, China, 12 September 2024: Day four of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2024 featured exhilarating matches as Malaysia, India, and Pakistan clinched vital victories at the Moqi Hockey Training Base, heightening the stakes for semifinal spots.
Malaysia showcased their resilience with a hard-fought 5-4 win over Japan, climbing to fourth in the points table. Goals from Syed Cholan (12’, 40’), Norsyafiq Sumantri (21’), Syarman Mat (47’), and Kamal Abu Azrai (48’) secured the victory. Hero of the Match Aiman Rozemi remarked, “After our 1-8 loss to India, we knew we had to come together as a unit. I’m proud of our fight today.” Japan, despite goals from Ken Nagayoshi (24’, 28’) and Kazumasa Matsumoto (51’), fell short in their late push.
Defending champions India maintained their unbeaten streak with a solid 3-1 victory over Korea, thanks to goals from Araijeet Singh Hundal (8’) and skipper Harmanpreet Singh (9’, 43’), who surpassed 200 international goals. India’s Hero of the Match, Suraj Karkera, highlighted the team’s defensive strategy, stating, “Korea is a strong team, but our mantra today was to defend well.” Korea managed a goal from Jihun Yang (30’) but struggled to penetrate India’s disciplined defense.
Pakistan continued their unbeaten run with a commanding 5-1 win against hosts China, moving up to second place in the standings. Ahmad Nadeem (36′, 56′) and Hannan Shahid (46′, 60′) led the charge, while Rehman Abdul (23’) opened the scoring. Despite a late goal from China’s Jiesheng Gao (48’), Pakistan’s defense remained resolute. Hannan Shahid, named Hero of the Match, praised the team’s collective effort: “We are learning with each match, and today, we showed discipline by conceding fewer cards.” As the league stage nears its conclusion, India leads the table, followed by Pakistan, Korea, and Malaysia, setting the stage for more electrifying action in the final pool-stage matches of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy.
