In a stunning upset, China has defeated Pakistan 2-0 (1-1) in a shootout to advance to the final of the Asian Champions Trophy. This marks the first time China has reached the title round of the tournament, while Pakistan, a two-time champion, will play for the bronze medal.
China’s goalkeeper, Caiyu Wang, was the hero of the shootout, making several key saves. Benhai Chen and Chanliang Lin scored for China in the shootout.
Earlier in the match, Yuanlin Lu had given China an early 1-0 lead in the 18th minute with a powerful dragflick. Pakistan equalized in the 37th minute through Ahmed Nadeem, but China held on to force a shootout.
China’s victory was a testament to their grit and determination. They dominated the ball possession and created early chances, buoyed by the support of a large home crowd.
Pakistan, on the other hand, struggled to create scoring opportunities. They had several penalty corners but were unable to breach the Chinese defense.
China’s head coach, Jin Seung Yoo, praised his team’s performance. “It’s an important game for us and we are totally charged up,” he said before the match. “This is the first time China is playing the semifinal of such a prestigious event in front of home crowd.”
China’s victory is a major upset and a sign of their growing strength in international hockey. They will now face the winner of the second semifinal between India and Korea in the final.
