Moqi, China (Web Desk): Pakistan on Tuesday secured third position in the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy after beating South Korea by 5-2 at Moqi, China.
In the third-place tie, Pakistan initially trailed, however, two braces from Sufyan Khan and Hannan Shahid helped the team finish the tie 5-2.
The Korean side’s captain Lee Jungjun struck at the beginning of the second quarter via a penalty corner as Pakistan remained goalless in the first half of the match.
Khan and Shahid took the lead in the third quarter, scoring the first two goals for the side within a minute, however, the Koreans struck back and equalised immediately.
Haroon then scored the fourth goal of the quarter to restore Pakistan’s lead.
The pair, Khan and Shahid, scored again in the fourth quarter of the match to pull away from the Korean side.
Sufyan’s two goals from the penalty corners earned him the Player of the Match award, finishing the tournament with four goals.
Earlier on Monday, the national side lost the semi-final against China after a dramatic penalty shootout with both teams showcasing their skills and determination.
The thrilling match ended in a 1-1 draw during the regular time. The first goal came from China in second quarter while Pakistan's Ahmed Nadeem found the back of the net in the third quarter, ensuring the match went into the decisive penalty shootout.
However, China qualified for the finals by defeating Pakistan in the penalty shootout. This was the first time they advanced to the finals.
