Young Tigers beat Pakistan on penalties to win Sultan of Johor Cup for first time since 2011

Malaysia's Young Tigers are champions of the Sultan of Johor Cup again. The national junior men's hockey team came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Pakistan in Saturday night's final at the Johor Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru, then won the penalty shootout 4-3 to claim the 14th edition of the under-21 tournament. It is Malaysia's first title at the event since they won the inaugural edition in 2011, and only their second overall.

How the final unfolded

Pakistan took control in the second quarter. Waleed Rana converted a penalty corner in the 19th minute, and Muhammad Usman added a field goal shortly afterwards to make it 2-0. Malaysia responded before half-time when Muhammad Adam Asyraf Johari finished a penalty corner set up by Gagandeep Singh, cutting the gap to one.

The equaliser came after the break. Afferul Syah Ahmad Azuan Syahrill had an earlier penalty-corner attempt saved by Pakistan goalkeeper Ahsan Mahmood, but Dheeressh Gunaseelan eventually levelled from another set piece, and neither side could find a winner in regulation time.

Shootout heroics

In the shootout, Adam Asyraf, Gagandeep, Rahuul Fazrien Muhammad Nazrien and Afferul Syah all scored for Malaysia, while Naaveennash Panicker struck the crossbar. Goalkeeper Mohamad Adib Amsyar Mohammad Hanif proved decisive at the other end, keeping out attempts from Fayyaz Hamza and Muhammad Ammad. Waleed Rana scored twice for Pakistan in the shootout and Ali Hamza once, but it was not enough.

A strong week from start to finish

The final capped an impressive campaign for coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin's side. In the five-team round robin, Malaysia beat China 3-0 in their opener, recovered from a deficit to beat Japan 4-2, edged Pakistan, and then thrashed Canada 6-1 on Friday to top the table and book their place in the final.

In the third-place match earlier on Saturday, Japan beat Canada 5-0, with Ryosuke Shinohara scoring a hat-trick.

What the coach said

Speaking after the final, Nor Saiful credited his players' maturity and discipline in sticking to the game plan, saying the side now plays "as a team, not as individuals", according to Bernama. He also highlighted how the defence managed to contain Pakistan's counter-attacks in the second half and praised Adib Amsyar's work in the shootout.

The coach noted that the squad, aged between 18 and 20, still has room to grow with more exposure against stronger opposition. There is little time to celebrate: the team is due to travel to India for the MCC-Murugappa All India Gold Cup, and Nor Saiful indicated some squad changes are planned for that event.

Why it matters

The Sultan of Johor Cup has been dominated in recent years by Great Britain, Australia, India and Germany, with Malaysia's previous best since 2011 a runner-up finish in 2013. Lifting the trophy on home soil, after trailing 2-0 in the final, gives Malaysian hockey a timely lift and suggests a promising pipeline of players for the senior team.

Key takeaways

• Malaysia beat Pakistan 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Sultan of Johor Cup final on 24 October.
• It is Malaysia's second title at the junior tournament and their first since the inaugural 2011 edition.
• Goalkeeper Adib Amsyar saved two shootout attempts after Malaysia recovered from 2-0 down.
• Malaysia won all four round-robin matches, against China, Japan, Pakistan and Canada.
• Japan finished third after beating Canada 5-0.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Sultan of Johor Cup? Malaysia won, beating Pakistan 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the final ended 2-2 in regulation time.

When did Malaysia last win the Sultan of Johor Cup? Before this year, Malaysia's only title came in the first edition of the tournament in 2011, when they beat Australia in the final.

What is next for the Young Tigers? The squad heads to India for the MCC-Murugappa All India Gold Cup, with the coach planning some changes to the line-up.

Sources: Bernama, Kosmo!, Wikipedia