Japan 2-2 Pakistan: Draw Sends Pakistan Into the Johor Cup Final on Goals-For
The maths said a draw would do. Pakistan went out and got exactly that, the hard way.
Japan needed a win to reach the Sultan of Johor Cup final. Twice they took the lead in Johor Bahru on Friday. Twice Pakistan dragged them back. Seia Yamada’s 18th-minute field goal, answered by Hamza Fayyaz from a penalty corner in the 34th. Kazuki Nakai’s 42nd-minute strike, answered by Ghulam Mustafa from another corner a minute later. It was 1-0 to Japan at half time. It finished 2-2. And that was enough.
Seven points each, goal difference +8 each. Pakistan’s 18 goals scored beat Japan’s 16, and goals-for settles it. So it’s Pakistan against Malaysia in Saturday’s final, 5:05 pm PKT, a rematch of Wednesday’s 2-3 heartbreak. Japan play Canada for bronze at 2:05 pm PKT.
Pakistan’s corners won the game
Both equalisers came from penalty corners, at 34′ and 43′, and both came right when Japan had the momentum. Fayyaz and Mustafa didn’t just score. They killed Japan’s belief.
For our money, the minute that decided the tournament was the 43rd. Nakai had just put Japan ahead for the second time, the final was theirs, and sixty seconds later it was gone. Japan had to chase for the last 17 minutes and never looked like scoring again.
The road here
This didn’t come from nowhere. Pakistan opened the tournament by beating China 8-3, then put six past Canada, then lost 2-3 to Malaysia in a game they led 2-1 before Rana Waleed’s 51st-minute red card and two late Malaysian goals turned it. Eighteen goals in four games. The attack has carried this team all week, and on Friday it carried them into a final.
What’s next
Saturday, 5:05 pm PKT: Malaysia v Pakistan for the title. Malaysia have won all three of their group games and beat this Pakistan side on Wednesday. Revenge, a trophy, and the hosts’ crowd. Pakistan will need the same set-piece nerve and a lot more discipline.
Earlier on Saturday, 2:05 pm PKT, Japan and Canada play for bronze. Malaysia’s 6-1 win over Canada on Friday night sealed the final table.
