Three goals in the final quarter help Pakistan overturn a 3–2 deficit and defeat South Korea 5–3.
Pakistan produced a remarkable comeback in the men’s hockey bronze-medal match at the 2026 Asian Games, defeating South Korea 5–3 at Kawasaki Juko Stadium on Saturday.
The national side looked sharp early in the contest, with Sufyan Khan putting Pakistan ahead in the fourth minute. South Korea responded before the end of the opening quarter as Gangsan Lee found the equaliser in the 12th minute, leaving the scores level at 1–1.
South Korea then gained momentum in the second quarter. Yongbok Kim scored in the 18th minute to give Korea the lead, while Jihun Yang added another goal seven minutes later to extend the advantage to 3–1.
Pakistan refused to surrender and reduced the deficit just before half-time. Abdul Rehman scored in the 30th minute, sending Pakistan into the interval only one goal behind at 3–2.
Neither side managed to score during a tightly contested third quarter. Pakistan earned three penalty corners during the period, while South Korea had one opportunity from a set piece, but the score remained unchanged heading into the final 15 minutes.
Pakistan then completely turned the match around in the fourth quarter. Rana Waheed Ashraf scored in the 52nd minute to restore parity at 3–3 before striking again just two minutes later to put Pakistan ahead for the first time since the opening stages.
With South Korea under pressure, Hannan Shahid delivered the decisive blow in the 59th minute, completing Pakistan’s 5–3 victory and securing the bronze medal.
Pakistan had reached the semi-finals after finishing second in Pool B. The team recorded victories over Thailand, Uzbekistan, China and Oman, with a defeat against Malaysia being their only setback in the group stage.
Pakistan opened their campaign with a commanding 9–0 win over Thailand before defeating Uzbekistan 5–1. They subsequently overcame China 3–0, while a 5–4 loss to Malaysia ended their winning streak. Pakistan bounced back strongly with a 7–2 victory over Oman to confirm their semi-final place.
The semi-final saw Pakistan narrowly lose 4–3 to India, setting up the bronze-medal clash against South Korea. The victory over Korea completed Pakistan’s campaign with a podium finish at the Asian Games.