Pakistan defeat Malaysia in shootout to reach Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 final

Pakistan stormed into the final of the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 after edging out Malaysia in a dramatic semifinal clash at the National Hockey Training Centre on Friday.

The tightly-fought encounter was decided through a nerve-racking penalty shootout after both teams failed to break the deadlock in regulation time.

In the high-stakes shootout, Malaysia faltered with two missed attempts, while Pakistan remained composed, missing only one and sealing a 4-3 victory.

The win propelled the Green Shirts into Sunday’s final, where they will face Japan for the coveted title at the same venue.

Pakistan’s journey through the tournament has been nothing short of dominant. They kicked off their campaign with an emphatic 8-0 win over Hong Kong, followed by a crushing 9-0 rout of Sri Lanka. Their third group match saw them beat Bangladesh 6-3, effectively securing their place in the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals, Pakistan overcame hosts China 2-1 in a tense contest to advance to the final four.

With their semifinal triumph, the Pakistani squad, brimming with young talent and guided by experienced management, now stands just one step away from clinching the championship.

Squad:

Mohammad Usman, Atif Ali, Asam Junaid, Mohammad Abdullah Farooq, Abdullah Awan, Zubair Lateef, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Ali Taj, Ghulam Mustafa, Ali Hamza, Ali Hanzala, Aamir Sohail, Adeel Afzal, Mohammad Zaman, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Shaheer, Hasan Shahbaz, Yaseen Jamshaid

Team Management:

Shafqat Malik (Manager), Mukhtar Ahmed, Touseeq Ahmed, Masood-ur-Rahman (Coaches)

All eyes are now on the Green Shirts as they prepare for the final showdown against Japan, hoping to lift the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025 trophy and cement their place as the top youth hockey team in Asia.