Bangladesh open Asian Games hockey campaign with 5-0 loss to South Korea

Bangladesh kept four-time champions South Korea scoreless for a quarter but could not contain them once the breakthrough came

Bangladesh were unable to recover after falling behind in the second quarter. Photo: Asian Hockey Federation via Facebook

Bangladesh held four-time champions South Korea at bay for the opening quarter before slipping to a 5-0 defeat in their first Asian Games hockey match.

After a goalless first quarter in Friday’s Pool A encounter in Gifu, Japan, South Korea struck three times in the second to take control of the contest.

Bae Soung Min and Oh Se-yong scored within a minute of each other before Lee Gangsan added a field goal late in the quarter to send South Korea into the break with a commanding lead.

Bangladesh, who finished sixth at the 2018 Asian Games, fell further behind early in the third quarter when Yang Ji-hun converted a penalty corner.

South Korea continued to control proceedings before Sim Jaewon completed the scoring with a field goal late in the final quarter.

The result gave South Korea, who have won four Asian Games gold medals and were last crowned champions in 2006, a comfortable start to their campaign.

Bangladesh will look to bounce back when they face hosts Japan in their second Pool A match on Tuesday.

India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka are the other teams in the pool.