Malaysia’s national men’s hockey team, the Speedy Tigers, delivered a spirited comeback performance twice to hold Pakistan to a pulsating 3-3 draw in their opening Group B match of the FIH Nations Cup 2024/25, held at the National Hockey Stadium, Bukit Jalil.
Despite playing on home soil with strong crowd support, Sarjit Singh’s men got off to a shaky start. Pakistan stunned the hosts with two early goals, as Ahmed Nadeem found the net in the 6th minute, followed by Abdul Rehman three minutes later to give the visitors a 2-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The second and third quarters saw both sides ramp up the tempo, trading attacking waves. But defenses held firm, with neither team able to break the deadlock further during that period.
Late Comeback Sparks Malaysian Momentum
Malaysia finally found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, delivering a breathtaking comeback. Fitri Saari ignited the fightback with a goal in the 49th minute, before Syed Syafiq Syed Cholan levelled the score 2-2 with a well-executed penalty corner just three minutes later.
However, Pakistan quickly responded with a goal of their own in the 54th minute as Rana Waheed put them ahead 3-2, dampening the home crowd’s cheers.
Refusing to back down, the Speedy Tigers mounted another late surge. Their persistence paid off in the 59th minute, when Syed Syafiq struck again from a penalty corner, completing his brace and ensuring a dramatic 3-3 finish.
All Square, All to Play For
Both teams had chances to steal all three points in the dying moments, but neither could find the breakthrough. The draw sees both Malaysia and Pakistan share a point each to kickstart their Nations Cup campaigns.
The Speedy Tigers now shift focus to their second Group B match tomorrow (June 16), where they will take on New Zealand, aiming to build on their fighting performance and secure a vital win.
Credit Photo : FIH
