Pakistan’s hopes of securing another Hockey World Cup victory suffered a setback on Monday. New Zealand defeated Pakistan 4-2 in a classification match in the Netherlands.
New Zealand controlled the opening half and quickly put Pakistan under pressure. Their attacking display helped them establish a commanding 3-0 lead before halftime.
Pakistan, however, refused to surrender and produced a determined response after the break.
Pakistan Launches Second-Half Fightback
Pakistan returned from the interval with greater attacking intent. The national side began creating opportunities and eventually found the net twice.
Sufyan Khan scored one goal for Pakistan. Afraz then added another as Pakistan reduced New Zealand’s advantage to 3-2.
The comeback briefly raised hopes of an equaliser. However, New Zealand managed to withstand Pakistan’s pressure.
The New Zealand side eventually added another goal. As a result, they secured a 4-2 victory and ended Pakistan’s hopes of completing the comeback.
Pakistan Faces South Africa Next
Following the defeat, Pakistan will now turn its attention to its next classification match.
The national team is scheduled to face South Africa on August 28. Pakistan will look to recover from the latest loss and finish its World Cup campaign strongly.
Despite Monday’s defeat, Pakistan had already ended a long wait for a Hockey World Cup victory during the tournament.
Pakistan Ends 16-Year World Cup Winless Run
Pakistan secured a memorable 4-3 victory over Japan earlier in the competition. The win ended a 16-year wait for a World Cup match victory.
Before that result, Pakistan’s previous Hockey World Cup win came in 2010. The national team had defeated Spain 2-1 during that tournament.
Pakistan then went without another World Cup victory until its 2026 success against Japan.
The latest defeat against New Zealand therefore comes after Pakistan had finally broken that long-standing drought. The team will now aim to end its campaign on a stronger note against South Africa.
