Pakistan, Malaysia to set Challenge Cup rolling today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will open their Nations Cup campaign against Malaysia in Gniezno (Poland) today (Friday) as the match between the two Asian countries will kick start the event.

The Nations Cup will serve as a qualification round for the FIH Pro League 2025. “Pakistan team had gone through over two hours’ practice session Thursday morning. The practice was organised at the same time when the match will be played Friday morning. The match against Malaysia will start at 11.30am local time -- meaning 2:30 PST,” one of the officials accompanying the team, when contacted, said.

Pakistan Head Coach Roelant Oltmans has expressed his hope that following five days of training in Holland and the exposure the team had got in Malaysia during the Azlan Shah Cup will help a great deal in bringing out the best from players.

“Though Pakistan have reached the final of the Azlan Shah Cup and only lost to Japan on a penalty shootout, the team has attained maturity and required practice which would help them a great deal in playing at best during the Challenge Cup. I am hopeful that if the team members execute the plan which has been set for them, they have good chances of making a solid impression in the event.”

Oltmans rated France as one of the formidable sides. “Because of their Olympic preparations, France has established a very competitive outfit. They can pose a tough challenge to any team.”

Malaysian team captain Muhammad Marhan Mohd Jalil on his team’s prospects in the event said: “First of all, I can’t wait to play in Poland. Regarding the countries in the Malaysian group, we can’t look down on any team. For the Canadian & Pakistani teams, we know a little bit about style of the game but it is different, especially Pakistan is faster for counter attack hockey compared to Canada. France is more European style and more tactical.”

French team Head Coach Frederic Soyez said the tournament was important for his team in many ways. “We’re entering the home stretch for the Olympic Games. This tournament is an important stage in our preparations. We’re going to give it our best shot to qualify for the Pro League next season.”

“The Nations Cup holds great memories for us, with a strong performance in the first tournament, finishing third, entering the Top 10 globally, and earning the Best Goalkeeper award. Since the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers, we’ve revamped our coaching staff and players. I promise continuous improvement and strong skills in future competitions,” Korean team captain Kim JaeHyeon said.

“The Nations Cup is an important step on our journey to the Olympics in Paris. We get to test ourselves against some quality opposition and experience European conditions. We are looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to grow our brand of hockey as we build to the pinnacle in Paris.”