(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea beat Qatar in men's football behind midfielder's hat trick

Nagooya, Japan - South Korea's men's football team kicked off their Asian Games tournament with an impressive victory over Qatar, securing a 4-1 win in their opening Group D match at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field. Eom Ji-sung, the Swansea City midfielder, played a pivotal role in the triumph, scoring a remarkable hat trick in the first half alone.

The torrential downpours did not deter the South Korean team, who continued their strong performance despite the challenging weather conditions. Kim Myeong-jun added to South Korea's tally in the 66th minute, while Qatar managed to score one goal in the 85th minute through Marwan Sherif. Under the guidance of coach Lee Min-sung, South Korea will face Saudi Arabia in their next match, scheduled for 7 p.m. the following Tuesday at the same Nagoya venue.

Eom opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match, displaying exceptional skill by running past defenders and slotting the ball into the bottom right corner. He extended his team's lead in the 20th minute with another goal, this time with his right foot, capitalizing on a clearing attempt that ended up between two Qatari defenders.