Pakistan secured their first victory at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy by defeating Japan 2-1, moving to second place on the points table.
Contrasting their initial defensive strategy in the tournament, Pakistan adopted an aggressive approach in their third match. Ahmad Nadeem initiated the scoring in the ninth minute, effectively connecting with Shahid Hannan to send the ball into the net.
This early momentum helped Pakistan as they added a second goal in the subsequent quarter, establishing a solid lead over Japan.
Japan responded by converting their third penalty corner into a goal, marking their first match score.
Previously, Pakistan’s second game in the tournament concluded in a 2-2 draw against South Korea. Pakistan could not maintain its advantage in the final quarter despite holding a narrow lead.
South Korea’s Hyun Jigwang scored late in the second quarter, and their lead persisted into the third, nearly handing Pakistan their first tournament defeat.
