Pakistan fight back from two goals down to beat Japan in the ninth-to-16th-place classification match at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup.
WEB DESK: Pakistan ended a 16-year wait for a Hockey World Cup victory by producing a stunning comeback to defeat Japan 4-3 in the ninth-to-16th-place classification match at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup.
The victory at the Wagener Stadium marked Pakistan’s first World Cup win since their 2-1 victory over Spain at the 2010 tournament. The latest success came 6,017 days after that previous World Cup win.
Pakistan recover from two-goal deficit
Japan made a strong start and established a 2-0 lead, putting Pakistan under early pressure.
The Green Shirts responded with an impressive comeback. Rana Waheed Ashraf scored twice, while Hammaduddin Muhammad and Hannan Shahid added one goal each as Pakistan overturned the deficit to secure the 4-3 victory.
Hannan Shahid scored the decisive goal in the 41st minute to put Pakistan ahead after Japan had levelled the contest at 3-3. Pakistan’s defence then held firm during the closing stages to preserve the lead.
First World Cup win since 2010
Pakistan’s victory ends one of the longest winless stretches in the team’s World Cup history.
The four-time world champions had last won a World Cup match in 2010, when they defeated Spain 2-1.
Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, while they did not win a match at the 2018 tournament. The national team also failed to qualify for the 2023 edition.
Pakistan return to World Cup after eight years
Pakistan returned to the Hockey World Cup in 2026 after an eight-year absence, having secured qualification by defeating Japan 4-3 in the semifinal of the World Cup qualifiers in Egypt earlier this year.
However, the Green Shirts were unable to progress to the next round of the 2026 tournament after their opening matches and subsequently entered the ninth-to-16th-place classification stage.
Moin Shakeel captains Pakistan
Pakistan played the Japan classification match without Abubakar, who was unavailable because of injury.
Moin Shakeel took over the captaincy for the match.
Despite falling two goals behind, Pakistan showed considerable resilience to turn the contest around and secure a memorable victory.
A significant moment for Pakistan hockey
The win provides a much-needed boost for Pakistan hockey, which has endured a difficult period on the international stage.
For a team returning to the World Cup after eight years, ending the 16-year wait for a tournament victory represents a significant milestone.
Pakistan will now continue their campaign in the classification stage as they seek to improve their final position at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup.
