Malaysia and South Korea Shine in Asia Cup Hockey Thrillers

Rajgir (Bihar), Aug 29 (PTI): In an exciting display at the men's Asia Cup hockey tournament, Malaysia staged a thrilling comeback to defeat Bangladesh 4-1 after initially trailing by a goal. Meanwhile, defending champions South Korea delivered a dominant performance, overwhelming Chinese Taipei with a 7-0 victory in Pool B matches.

During the second Pool B match, Korea's Dain Son was outstanding, securing a hat-trick by scoring in the 17th, 29th, and 58th minutes. Jihun Yang also contributed significantly with two penalty corner goals in the 27th and 50th minutes. Seyong Oh added to the tally with a field goal in the 53rd minute. Korea further sealed their triumph with late goals from Yoonho Kong in the 54th minute and another by Son, leaving their opponents unable to respond.

Earlier in the tournament opener, Malaysia, ranked 12th worldwide, showcased their prowess with three field goals courtesy of Ashran Hamsani (25th minute), Akhimullah Anuar (36th minute), and Muhajir Abdul Rauf (48th minute). Syed Cholan contributed with a goal from a penalty corner in the 54th minute. However, it was the 29th-ranked Bangladesh team that initially took a surprising lead when Ashraful Islam converted a penalty corner in the 16th minute.

Malaysia, caught off guard by the early setback, quickly regrouped and intensified their attacking efforts. Their determination paid off five minutes before halftime when Hamsani scored a field goal to equalize. Despite a slow start, Malaysia maintained their momentum and secured three more goals in the final quarter—two from open play and one from a set piece—achieving a confident victory.

Malaysia managed to capitalize on one of the four penalty corners they earned, while Bangladesh succeeded with one out of the two they were awarded. Malaysia will next face five-time champions and title holders South Korea on Saturday. Bangladesh will compete against Chinese Taipei earlier in the day.

In Pool A action on Friday, Japan is set to face off against Kazakhstan, and India will conclude the day's schedule with a match against China. Notably, the Asia Cup serves as a direct qualification event for the FIH World Cup, which Belgium and the Netherlands will co-host from August 14 to 30 next year.

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