Japan dashed Pakistan’s hopes of winning the U-18 Asia Hockey Cup on Sunday by beating them in the finals by a 3-0 margin.

The national team couldn’t score a single goal in the 60-minute allotted time, making it a one-sided contest, dominated by Japan.

The Japanese team launched relentless attacks against Pakistan from the very start of the final. Yuma Fujiwara netted two back-to-back goals in the 22nd and 38th minutes. Tetsuki Yasui sealed the victory with a third goal in the 49th minute.

In the semi-finals, Pakistan had defeated Malaysia in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in the allotted time.

Pakistan entered the final unbeaten, showcasing an inspiring and dominating performance throughout the tournament. In the group stage, they thrashed Hong Kong 8-0, routed Sri Lanka 9-0, defeated Bangladesh 6-3, and overcame host nation China 2-1.