KUALA LUMPUR – New Zealand’s national hockey coach, Greg Nicol, praised his team’s ability to learn quickly as a crucial factor in their success at this year’s Nations Cup.
After a decisive 6-2 victory over Pakistan, the Black Sticks secured their second consecutive Nations Cup title at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night. This impressive win also guarantees their participation in the FIH Pro League for another season.
In a post-match interview, Nicol highlighted his team’s discipline throughout the 60 minutes, stating,
“Our performance was remarkable. We played aggressively and maintained discipline, avoiding unnecessary turnovers that Pakistan typically capitalises on. I’m very pleased with our performance and optimistic about what lies ahead.”
He also noted that the team’s ability to learn quickly has become a significant strength, aiding their preparation despite a light match schedule.
“Whenever we come together, we adapt swiftly, which has been beneficial for us,” Nicol added.
Looking ahead, Nicol mentioned that the focus will shift to the Oceania Cup in September, where they aim to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
“We’ll face Australia in the Oceania Cup, which is a crucial World Cup qualifier. After that, we hope to return for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in November, but we’re awaiting further details.
“Once we’re back, we’ll meet with Hockey New Zealand to evaluate everything, including our plans for the Pro League.”
He expressed confidence in his broader squad of about 32 players, all of whom he believes can represent New Zealand in upcoming competitions.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s head coach, Tahir Zaman, acknowledged his players’ efforts during the Nations Cup.
“Sometimes teams don’t start strong, but we showed resilience in the last two quarters. However, inconsistency is our biggest challenge, which ties back to the need for psychological strength in coaching, a process that takes time,” he explained.
Zaman noted that their goal was to improve their world ranking and compete for the Nations Cup to re-enter the Pro League.
“We came close, but credit goes to New Zealand for their brilliant performance in the final. We did our best to narrow the score, but conceding several early goals made it tough to recover. Overall, I’m satisfied with our performance,” he stated.
New Zealand, eager to take the lead after winning last year’s tournament in Poland, struck first when Scott Cosslett converted a penalty corner just six minutes into the match.
They quickly added three more goals in a four-minute span from Sam Hiha, Dylan Thomas, and Sean Findlay, with Scott Boyde scoring the fifth goal in the 27th minute.
Despite the large deficit, Pakistan managed to score a field goal through Zikriya Hayat in the 36th minute.
In the final moments, Cosslett netted his fifth goal of the tournament, bringing New Zealand’s total to six, while Sufyan Khan scored Pakistan’s second goal just before the final whistle.
This performance marked an improvement for Pakistan compared to last year, where they finished fourth. Earlier in the tournament, France secured third place by defeating South Korea 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 tie in regulation time. – June 22, 2025