Pakistan captain Ammad Butt scored a stunning goal as the Green Shirts booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics Qualifiers in Muscat, Oman, on Thursday.
Pakistan drew their final pool match against Malaysia 3-3 which was enough for them to qualify for the final four.
During the match, Pakistan were down 2-1 at one stage during the third quarter but Ammad took control of proceedings and notched up a scintillating goal by dribbling past the Malaysian players. He exhibited great ball control and precise finishing during the move.
The Men in Green are now just one victory away from securing qualification for the Paris Olympics, as the top three teams from the qualifiers will secure a spot.
Pakistan cruised in the final four on the basis of a better goal average than China.
Sufyan Khan, Ammad Butt, and Rana Waheed scored goals for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Sasri Fitri, Abu Kamal, and Ashari Farhan netted goals for Malaysia.
Pakistan will now play against Germany in the semi-final on January 20. Meanwhile, Great Britain will face New Zealand in the other semi-final.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan secured their first win in the Paris Olympics Qualifiers by defeating China 2-0.
Pakistan had lost their first match against England on Monday by 6-1. Abdul Hanan Shahid managed to score the solitary goal for Pakistan, while England demonstrated superior strategy and execution.
Teams
Pool A: Great Britain, Malaysia, Pakistan, China
Pool B: Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Chile
