Pakistan crush Sri Lanka in hockey U18 Asia Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan’s under-18 men’s hockey team secured another emphatic victory in the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2025, defeating Sri Lanka with a 9-0 score in their second Group A match at the Dazhou National Hockey Training Centre in Dazhou, China.

Pakistan wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring four goals in the first quarter.

Abdullah Awan opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a field goal, quickly followed by Zubair Latif in the fifth minute. Asam Haider then converted a penalty corner in the seventh minute, and Atif Ali added another field goal in the 13th minute to make it 4-0.

The second quarter saw two more goals from Asam Haider, both from penalty corners in the 17th and 24th minutes, extending Pakistan’s lead to 6-0 by halftime. The team maintained their intensity in the third quarter, with Adeel scoring twice in the 35th and 42nd minutes, and Atif Ali completing his brace in the 44th minute.

Sri Lanka struggled to create chances, and Pakistan comfortably saw out the final quarter without conceding. The 9-0 win, in addition to their earlier 8-0 victory over Hong Kong, puts Pakistan at top of the Group A.

Asam Haider finished as the top scorer with three goals, all from penalty corners, while Atif Ali and Adeel contributed two goals each. The team’s next match will be a key fixture as they aim to continue their flawless run in the tournament.

Pakistan will play next match against Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Earlier, Pakistan opened their campaign with an emphatic 8-0 win over Hong Kong, despite significant travel setbacks.

The team arrived in China just hours before the match due to visa delays and had no time for a training session or warm-up game. However, they delivered a stunning performance that overwhelmed their opponents.

In the opening match, Pakistan found the net once in the second quarter, added two more in the third, and launched a relentless offensive in the final quarter, scoring five goals.

Shahbaz Hassan, Abdullah Awan, and Mohammad Farooq each struck twice, while Amir Sohail and Mohammad Zaman added a goal apiece.