Pakistan storm into Asia Cup semis

Malaysia made the stronger start and took the lead in the ninth minute when Muhammad Salehi found the net, putting Pakistan under early pressure. Pakistan, however, responded strongly after the interval, producing an attacking surge that turned the match decisively in their favour.

Nadeem Khan restored parity in the 32nd minute with a well-netted goal, before Abdullah Sami Rana struck four minutes later to give Pakistan a 2-1 advantage. Waleed Rana then took centre stage, hitting twice in quick succession in the 39th and 40th minutes.

His back-to-back goals gave Pakistan a commanding 4-1 lead and left Malaysia struggling to contain the pressure. Ali Hamza completed Pakistan’s five-goal burst in the 41st minute, extending the advantage to 5-1. His performance earned him the Man of the Match award.

Malaysia managed to reduce the deficit in the 54th minute through Ganaselen Dhirsh, but Pakistan remained composed in the closing stages and protected their three-goal advantage to seal a 5-2 victory. The result underlined Pakistan’s impressive campaign so far, with the side yet to taste defeat in the tournament.

Their combination of attacking efficiency and a strong second-half response proved decisive against Malaysia. Pakistan will now meet Bangladesh in their last pool show on Wednesday.