FIH Nations Cup: Pakistan loses to New Zealand, aims for third place

GNIEZNO: Pakistan hopes for the FIH Nations Cup were dashed in a 2-1 defeat against New Zealand during the semi-final clash on Saturday.

Kane Russell and Smith Jake scored early goals for New Zealand, placing Pakistan on the defensive from the start.

Read more: FIH Nations Cup: Pakistan narrowly defeated by France

Despite Pakistan’s efforts, they struggled under pressure as the Kiwis dominated the game from the onset. Even a late goal by Rana Waheed in the fourth quarter could not shift the momentum in Pakistan’s favoor.

In the other semi-final, France secured a narrow 2-1 victory against South Africa, setting the stage for a final showdown between New Zealand and France.

With the semi-final loss, Pakistan now faces South Africa in the battle for third place, determining their final standing in the tournament.

Read more: FIH Hockey Cup: Pakistan beat Canada by 8-1 goals

The points table for the 2023–24 Men’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup now stand as following:

In Pool A, New Zealand leads with 12 points, having won all four matches. South Africa and Austria are at second and third place respectively with six points each. While, South Korea and Poland are at the bottom with three points each.

Meanwhile, In pool B, France leads with nine points, followed by Pakistan and Malaysia with four points each. Canada trails at the bottom with zero points, having lost all three matches.