Malaysia beat Pakistan in dramatic shoot-out to lift Sultan of Johor Cup

By Asia Samachar  | Hockey |

Malaysia’s Young Tigers staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic shoot-out and capture the Sultan of Johor Cup Under-21 hockey title at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru tonight (October 24).

The hosts fought back from a 0-2 deficit to force a 2-2 draw in regulation time before prevailing in the shoot-out, securing their second title in the tournament’s history and their first since winning the inaugural edition in 2011.

Coached by Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin, the Malaysian youngsters displayed tremendous fighting spirit after Pakistan seized control of the final with two quick goals.

Rana Waleed opened the scoring through a penalty corner in the 19th minute before Usman Muhammad doubled Pakistan’s advantage with a field goal four minutes later. Malaysia responded almost immediately when Adam Asyraf Johari converted a penalty corner in the 25th minute, reducing the deficit to 1-2 at half-time.

With Pakistan defending their slender lead, Malaysia continued pressing for the equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the 49th minute when Dheeressh Gunaseelan struck from a penalty corner to level the scores at 2-2.

Neither side managed to find the winner before the final whistle, sending the gold-medal encounter into a shoot-out.

Adam Asyraf Johari, Gagandeep Singh, Rahuul Fazrien Muhammad Nazrien and Ashrafeel Iman Mohd Rizal were Malaysia’s successful shoot-out scorers as the Young Tigers prevailed 4-3.

The victory capped an impressive campaign for Malaysia, who had also beaten Pakistan 3-2 in a closely contested group-stage encounter on Wednesday (Oct 21). Malaysia had further boosted their confidence with a commanding 6-1 victory over Canada on Friday, ahead of the final.

The triumph was particularly sweet for the Young Tigers, who had suffered two defeats against Pakistan at the 2026 Junior Asia Cup in Inner Mongolia, China.

The Sultan of Johor Cup, established in 2011, is regarded as one of the premier international Under-21 men’s hockey tournaments, providing a competitive platform for emerging talent preparing for junior and senior international competition.

For Malaysia, the victory marks a memorable return to the top of the podium after 15 years, with the Young Tigers demonstrating resilience and composure to overcome their regional rivals.

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