(Asiad) S. Korean men, women win 1st games in field hockey

NAGOYA, Japan, September 18 (Yonhap) -- In the opening games of the Asian Games, South Korea's men's and women's field hockey teams secured their first victories. The men's team triumphed over Bangladesh with a score of 5-0 at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium. Each of the South Korean players, including Sim Jae-won, Lee Gang-san, Oh Se-yong, Bae Soung-min, and Yang Ji-hun, contributed a goal.

Head coach Min Tae-seok expressed confidence in their defensive strategy in the first quarter, followed by increased aggression in the subsequent quarters. Meanwhile, the women's team defeated Chinese Taipei 3-1, with goals scored by Park Seung-ae and An Su-jin. This marks South Korea's first wins in both field hockey events at the Asian Games, having previously placed third in men's and second in women's categories during the 2023 edition.

Both events will follow a similar format, with twelve teams divided into two groups of six, and the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals. The South Korean men's team will face Indonesia at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, while the women's team will take on Kazakhstan at 9 a.m. on Monday.