(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea beats China to advance to men's handball semifinals

South Korea secured a hard-fought victory over China in the men's handball match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, September 26, 2023. The Asian powerhouse, led by Kim Rak-chan and Park Se-ung, both of whom scored six goals each, claimed a 28-22 win.

The match commenced with the score at 5-4 in favor of China just six minutes into the game, but South Korea quickly turned the tables by scoring the subsequent four goals, leading 8-5. The Korean team's defensive prowess was instrumental, as they managed to keep China from scoring for a significant portion of the game.

In the first half, South Korea managed to hold China to a scoreless stretch of 6 1/2 minutes, subsequently securing a 16-12 lead into halftime. The Korean team's defense remained unbreached, as China could not get within three goals during the first half.

In the second half, China managed to level the score at 22-22 midway through the period. However, South Korea managed to pull ahead with a lead of 28-22 with less than five minutes left on the clock. Kim Rak-chan sealed the win with two goals in a 13-second span.