Despite a thrilling 6-5 loss to France, Pakistan remains in the second position in Pool B of the FIH Nations Cup, held in Gniezno, Poland. France, undefeated with three wins, tops the group with nine points, while Pakistan and Malaysia are tied with four points each.
Pakistan will play semi-final of the FIH Nations Cup despite the thriller loss to France. Pakistan is set to face New Zealand in the semi-final on June 8. The final will be held on June 9, with the winner earning a coveted spot in the Pro League.
Pool A Standings:
New Zealand - 12 points
Korea - 3 points
South Africa - 3 points
Poland - 3 points
Australia - 3 points
Pool B Standings:
France - 9 points
Pakistan - 4 points
Malaysia - 4 points
In Pool A, New Zealand leads the table with a perfect record, accumulating 12 points. Korea, South Africa, Poland, and Australia each have three points and are competing fiercely for the second spot to qualify for the semi-finals.
Pakistan vs. France Match Highlights
Victor Charlet was the star for France, scoring four goals, including the match-winner in the final moments. Rogeau Blaise and Gaspard Baumgarten also contributed to France's victory. For Pakistan, Mahmood Abu, Murtaza Yaqoob, Rana Waheed, Abdul Rehman, and Hannan Shahid each found the back of the net in a valiant comeback effort.
7th Minute: Charlet opened the scoring for France.
Final Seconds: Charlet secured the win with his fourth goal.
Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan achieved a commanding 8-1 victory over Canada and played to a draw against Malaysia.