Pakistan made a powerful start to their U-18 Asia Hockey Cup campaign in Japan, outclassing China with a clinical 3-0 victory in their opening group-stage clash.
Displaying sharp attacking rhythm and disciplined structure, Pakistan controlled the tempo of the game from the outset and never allowed China to settle into a comeback.
Osman, Adeel, and Yasir were on target, each finding the net once to seal a confident win and give Pakistan early momentum in the tournament.
The match highlighted Pakistan’s balanced approach, combining solid defensive organization with quick transitions and effective finishing in the final third.
The Asian Hockey Federation–organised tournament is currently underway in Japan, featuring competitive group-stage fixtures among top youth teams from across the continent.
Pakistan will now turn their attention to their second group match against Malaysia on May 31, scheduled for 3:00 PM, where they will aim to build on their winning start.
Their third group-stage fixture will be played against Bangladesh on June 3, also at 3:00 PM, completing their pool-stage schedule.
Group matches will continue until June 1, after which the tournament will move into the knockout phase with semi-finals and classification matches set for June 5.
The U-18 Asia Cup final, along with the third-place playoff, will be played on June 6, bringing the competition to a decisive conclusion.
