The Pakistan hockey team faced backlash on social media for showing support for China during the Asian Champions Trophy final during the final of the Asian Champions Trophy against India on Tuesday, September 17 at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir. Broadcast footage showed Pakistan players waving Chinese flags just before the final match.
The display came despite Pakistan's own recent defeats in the tournament: a 2-1 loss to India in the group stage and a subsequent defeat to China in the semi-final.
Here's how netizens reacted:
In a closely contested final, India edged out China 1-0, securing their fifth Asian Champions Trophy title. Jugraj Singh's goal with 10 minutes remaining proved to be the difference-maker as China's strong defense was finally breached.
China had advanced to the final after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Pakistan in the semifinals. Chinese goalkeeper Wang Caiyu, who had also played a key role in their run to the final last year, made crucial saves to help his team win the shootout 2-0.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan had secured the bronze medal with a 5-2 win over Korea. Sufyan Khan, Hannan Shahid, and Rooman scored multiple goals for Pakistan, while Jungjun Lee and Jihun Yang found the net for Korea.