The New Zealand men’s hockey team, the Black Sticks, claimed third place at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia by beating the host team 6-1. The match took place during the tournament’s final round, where Belgium went on to win the title after a close 1-0 victory over India.
Sam Lane was the star of the match, scoring five of New Zealand’s six goals. He began strongly with two goals in the first quarter. Later, he added three more in just 15 minutes—one from a penalty corner, one from open play, and another from a penalty stroke. Lane finished the tournament as the top goal scorer with nine goals in total.
James Hickton also had a moment to remember, scoring his first-ever international goal after a 60-metre run and a tricky reverse-stick shot.
Two players reached important milestones during the match. Malachi Buschl played his 50th game for the Black Sticks, and Lane’s performance took him to 51 international goals in his career.
This strong finish was a proud moment for the New Zealand team, ending the tournament on a high note
