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

NAGOYA — South Korea's men's and women's field hockey teams secured their first wins of the Asian Games on Friday. The men's team defeated Bangladesh 5-0 at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Gifu, located around 30 kilometers north of the main host city, Nagoya.

Leading the scoring for South Korea were Sim Jae-won, Lee Gang-san, Oh Se-yong, Bae Soung-min, and Yang Ji-hun, each netting a goal. Their early aggression paid off, with three goals scored in the second quarter followed by additional goals in the next two quarters.

Coach Min Tae-seok expressed confidence, acknowledging Bangladesh as an underdog and aiming for defensive solidity initially before becoming more aggressive. The improvement in performance after venue adjustments proved crucial.

A notable aspect was the substitution of national anthems. Instead of playing South Korea's anthem, the match officials played North Korea's anthem before playing Bangladesh's anthem, followed by the South Korean anthem. As the match began with a delay, the referee required players from both teams to shake hands, marking the start of the game with a gesture of respect.