Champions Trophy Hockey -- Highlights: Pakistan Beat South Korea with a Golden Goal

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Dec. 11) – Pakistan beat South Korea 5-4 today in a thrilling match on the final day of Men’s Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament in Auckland.

Pakistan beat Korea 5-4 with a golden goal to avoid finishing last in Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament 

What a great game it was! Korea played their hearts out today but hats off to commitment from Pakistan as they came from behind twice and winning ultimately with a Golden goal by Muhammad Rizwan senior.

Pakistan crushed Korea 6-2 in the pool stages but faced a stiff test in today’s match, with both sides desperate to avoid finishing last in the eight-nation tournament.

The match started with Korean domination as they took an early lead through Seo Jong-Ho after five minutes but it couldn’t last long as Muhammad Rizwan level the score line within no time.


Pakistani defenders’ mistake let Jang Kyu-Yeob to reinstate Korea's lead, but Pakistan captain Muhammad Imran square it again when he converted apenalty corner into a goal


Muhammad Tousiq scored a field goal just before half time on a cruising cross from Abdul Haseem Khan, who himself scored a goal shortly after he second half started, snatching the ball from a Korean defender before flicking the ball into goal post.
After taking a lead of two goals, Green Shirts lethargic approach helped Koreans to fight back in style and they level the match before the final whistle with the double blow from You Hyo-Sik in 54th and 62nd minutes.


Pakistan regained some momentum in the extra time and again dominates the ball possession before Muhammad Rizwan’s golden goal on a great pass from Shakeel Abbasi.


Pakistan team manager Khawaja Junaid said the Green Shirts had gained a lot from exposure to world’s top teams in this Champions Trophy appearance after almost 4 years but definitely needed to improve their consistency.

Watch highlights HERE.

Champions Trophy Hockey: Latest Pool Standings and Matches Results (Thu, Dec. 08)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Dec. 08) – Four matches were played today in ongoing Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy Tournament at Auckland’s North Harbor hockey stadium.

Champions Trophy Hockey: Today's Matches Results (Thu, Dec. 08) 

In first match of the day; Asian Champions Pakistan beat Korea by 6-2 in a Pool D fixture. This is the first victory of wild card entrants Pakistan in this coveted tournament. Pakistan are now placed at the second spot in the Pool ahead of Great Britain due to better goal average.

Penalty corner goal by German forward Jan-Marco Montag in the last moments of the second match of the day earned all three points for European Champions and broke the hearts of Brits after a shocking 8-1 defeat in the first round match against Spain. Germany is on top in Pool D after 2-1 victory against Britain; while GB slipped to third spot in this pool.

Australia become the first team to qualify for the finals of the Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament after beating the Netherlands 4-2 in the third match of the day and first of the Pool C. The defending champions and World No. 1 Australia were in ruthless goal-scoring with Chris Ciriello, Matt Gohdes (2) and his cousin Jamie Dwyer gave Australia a 4-2 win over the Dutch.

In the last match of the day and second of the Pool C; high-spirited Spain defeated the hosts New Zealand by 3 -2. The Black Sticks lead their European opponents twice courtesy to goals from Andrew Hayward and Blair Hilton but were pegged back by strikes from Ramon Alegre and Edi Tubau before Ramon’s brother David Alegre hit a brilliant winner four minutes from time.

With this win over New Zealand in the Championship pool; Spain managed to alive their hopes of reaching into the finals of coveted tournament.

The latest and updated pool standings and points table are given below:

Champions Trophy Hockey: Latest Pool Standings and Points Table (Thu, Dec. 08) 

Champions Trophy Hockey-- Match Report and Highlights: Pakistan 6 - 2 Korea

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Dec. 08) - A four goal blitz in the second half gave Pakistan a confidence boosting 6-2 win over Korea in the first match of Day 4 here at the Owen G Glenn FIH Champions Trophy in Auckland. Following an evenly fought first half that finished 2-2, Pakistan attacker Shafqat Rasool produced an inspirational display to score one goal and set up two others as the Asian champions achieved their first win of the tournament. The win puts Pakistan onto three points in Pool D, and keeps alive their hopes of a fifth place finish.

Champions Trophy Hockey-- Highlights: Pakistan 6 - 2 Korea

Pakistan were forced to sit deep in the early stages of an enthralling first half as Korea relentlessly pressurized the Asian champions. Hyo Sik You and Hyun Woo Nam both missed very good opportunities early in the game before Nam Yong Lee showed great composure to drift past Pakistan keeper Imran Shah before flicking into an unguarded net in the seventh minute of the match.

Conceding the goal seemed to spark Pakistan into life, and soon hit back when Muhammad Imran launched a stunning penalty corner flick into the roof of the Korean goal in the fifteenth minute. The intense Pakistan pressure resulted in a second goal just minutes later thanks to Abdul Haseem Khan, although Khan’s cross-shot appeared to be travelling well wide of the target before taking a big deflection from the stick of Korea captain Jong Bak Cha and flying into the goal.

Read more and watch the highlights of the match HERE.