Punjab:The national men's hockey team of Malaysia concluded the round-robin stage of the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) in third place after suffering a 1-2 loss to Japan. The match took place at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Punjab, India.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia initially took the lead when Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal scored a field goal in the 10th minute, putting the team ahead 1-0 in the first quarter. However, Japan responded in the second quarter, with Kentaro Fukuda equalizing with a field goal in the 24th minute, resulting in a 1-1 score by halftime.

In the latter stages of the match, Fukuda once again proved pivotal for Japan, scoring the decisive goal in the 54th minute to secure a victory for his team. Japan finished the round-robin stage in second place with 10 points from three wins and one draw, while Malaysia secured third place with nine points from three wins.

Both teams are set for a rematch in the semi-finals this Wednesday, as they finished in second and third places, respectively. The upcoming semi-final will be held at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, India.