Below the unpredictable Kuala Lumpur skies, an exhilarating day of hockey opened the Nations Cup Malaysia 2025 with a storm of targets, comebacks and explosive contests that hinted on the unbelievable competitors that’s to come back. Twelve final-quarter targets, together with 5 from France of their 6-5 comeback win over Korea, have been a mark of the attacking firepower on show and a reminder of how determined these nations are to earn that coveted prize of a spot within the FIH Professional League. Pool A noticed two unbelievable comebacks: one incomes France all three factors over Korea to prime the standings, and the opposite seeing South Africa forcibly take a degree from a pissed off Wales facet. After delays to the Pool B video games attributable to lightning and rain, New Zealand belatedly started their title defence with a well-deserved 2-1 win over Asian Video games champions Japan. Surrounded by raucous house help, Malaysia drew 3-3 with a fiery Pakistan facet that might be pissed off to not be matching the Blacksticks’ three factors on the prime of Pool B.
France 6-5 Korea
Opening Pool A, Korea began nicely towards France, registering the primary purpose of the competitors inside three minutes. A medical press put the ball on the top of Jungjun Lee’s stick and the captain completed well. The French responded nicely, discovering their approach via the center of the Korean defence earlier than Xavier Esmenjaud equalised with a diving slap shot. The Koreans started the second quarter by registering a flurry of penalty corners earlier than Jihun Yang flicked his facet again into the lead. Dohyun Lim transformed one other nook minutes later, this time from the second fort. The second-half noticed the French fall additional behind. Korea gained the ball excessive up the pitch and Cheoleon Park made it 4-1 earlier than Yang scored his second to ship his facet 5-1 up going into the ultimate quarter.
Two minutes into the ultimate interval, France capitalised on a Korean blunder and Esmenjaud slapped in what gave the impression to be a comfort purpose. Nonetheless, when Victor Charlet rifled a penalty nook into the roof of the Korean internet, the momentum shifted. With two minutes remaining, Esmenjaud improvised his solution to a hat-trick and made it 5-4. Charlet gained and scored a penalty stroke to equalise and, with 4 seconds remaining, Louis Haertelmeyer knocked in a rebound and accomplished an unbelievable comeback for France. From 5-1 down with quarter-hour left to play, the French scored 5 targets and earned a particular three factors in a memorable opening sport of the Nations Cup.
After Xavier Esmenjaud’s hat-trick earned him Participant of the Match, he referred to as it a “loopy sport (and a) loopy expertise”. “We have been simply focussed on attending to 5-2, then when it was 5-2, the third one, the fourth. The vitality to come back again, we have been profitable the duals – superb.”
South Africa 4-4 Wales
On the opposite facet of Pool A, Jack Pritchard opened the Welsh account 5 minutes in, scrapping the ball over the South African goal-line. Wales then superbly manufactured their second, as a one-time slap into the circle discovered Joylon Morgan who expertly squeezed the ball over the keeper with only one hand on the stick. Within the 5 minutes earlier than half-time, Pritchard doubled the lead and claimed his hat-trick, placing Wales 4-0 up on the break.
With the primary sport a looming reminder that 4 targets isn’t a secure margin, Trevor de Lora discovered the online after three consecutive South African penalty corners to make it 4-1. Angelo Walstroom completed a wise South African transfer on the finish of the third quarter to additional panic Wales. As Victor Charlet had completed earlier, Samkelo Mvimbi then gained and fired house a penalty stroke with ten minutes left to play. With simply ninety seconds remaining, Calvin Davis rocketed a drag flick into the underside nook and earned South Africa a 4-4 draw that will need to have felt like a win.
An understandably pissed off Jack Pritchard collected his well-deserved Participant of the match award and mentioned: “It was begin within the first half, then we dropped off it barely within the second and honest play to South Africa they actually got here again sturdy. So, disappointing to not maintain on however not a nasty begin.”
New Zealand 2-1 Japan
As if Pool A wasn’t fast-paced sufficient, Japan started Pool B with a clinically fast counter-attack as Ryosuke Shinohara put his staff 1-0 up inside 5 minutes. Simply ninety seconds later, nonetheless, Sam Hiha drew New Zealand stage. A back-foot shot squeezed previous Takashi Yoshikawa in purpose and launched a interval of high-pressing domination for the reigning Nations Cup Champions. Japan remained resolute nonetheless, seeing off a number of Blackstick penalty corners and taking the sport into the ultimate quarter 1-1.
After the video games in Pool A, the dearth of targets supplied a relative calm to the sport, even with the New Zealand probabilities raining down upon Japan. Within the ultimate quarter, nonetheless, it proved an excessive amount of for the Japanese defence to handle. With 4 minutes left to play, an overhead go fell to Sean Findlay, who nutmegged his marker earlier than firing the ball towards Dylan Thomas’s stick. Thomas deflected in and secured a deserved three factors for the Blacksticks within the first sport of Pool B.
Scorer of that all-important purpose and Participant of the Match Dylan Thomas emphasised that “It was actually essential that we bought the three factors right now, it’s been construct up, we’ve felt actually good since attending to Malaysia and we’re actually stoked to get the outcome right now.”
Malaysia 3-3 Pakistan
Closing a unbelievable opening day for the Nations Cup, Pakistan took the higher hand within the first quarter, controlling the sport and taking a 2-0 lead. Nadeem Ahmad’s acrobatic deflection (and explosive celebration) was adopted rapidly by Abdul Rehman’s scorching drag-flick from a penalty nook. The second and third quarters have been goalless however two inexperienced playing cards and a yellow have been indicators of creeping ailing self-discipline that will characteristic prominently within the ultimate quarter.
Malaysia, in entrance of a rapturous house crowd, discovered their approach again into the sport within the ultimate quarter as Fitri Saari tidied up on the again publish and made it 2-1. Syed Cholan then transformed a penalty nook to attract scores stage. Within the chaotic midst of a yellow card for each groups, Ashraf Waheed Rana then slammed a free ball into the Malaysian internet to rocket Pakistan into the lead. Two minutes later although, Malaysia, now with a person benefit, gained a penalty nook that Cholan slammed into the underside nook, scoring his second and incomes a degree for the host nation.
After his drag-flick brace, Syed Cholan was gracious in being awarded Participant of the Match: “Thanks to my teammates and thanks to the group, everybody gave their finest effort, they have been all up for this sport and I hope we bounce again towards New Zealand tomorrow.”
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Nations Cup – 15 June 2025
Nationwide Hockey Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Consequence: Match 1
France 6-5 Korea
Participant of the Match: Xavier Esmenjaud
Upreser: Approach Research (MAS), Peter
Consequence: Match 2
South Africa 4-4 Wales
Participant of the Match: Jack Pritchard
Umpires: Ben Grant (NZL), Newman (NZL), Newman (Video)
Consequence: Match 3
New Zealand 2-1 Japan
Participant of the Match: Dylan Thomas
Upires:
Consequence: Match 4
Malaysia 3-3 Pakistan
Participant of the Match: Syed Cholan
Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Wanri Venter (RSA), Xiaoying Liu (CHN) (Video)
