Korea outclass China 3-1 to retain Gold

Doha, Dec 14 (UNI) Playing with a clinical precision, holders Korea snuffed out China's challenge 3-1 to retain the Asian Games hockey Gold here today.

Chinese rattled the Korean with an early goal and the defending champions' retribution was swift and brutal. They pumped in two goals in a space of four minutes after being under their rival's hegemony for barely three minutes.

For Korea who led 2-1 at the breather, Yeo Woon Kon scored two goals (16th and 66th) while Yoon Sung Hoon chipped in one (12th minute). For China Na Yubo scored the only goal in the ninth minute.

The final was a typical hit-and-run display by the two oriental teams, who on their way to the final knocked out two former powerhouses of the sports -- India and Pakistan.

The stress was more on speed, stamina and agility then on stick work or dribble. No player held on to the ball for more then few seconds. The ball travelled fast and furious with Chinese launching a frontal attack to catch their rivals off the guard.

Coached by former South Korean skipper Kim Sangryul, the Chinese seemed to have succeeded in their tactics as they forced a penalty corner in the ninth minute which was converted by Na Yubo.

The furious Koreans did not allow their former skipper to celebrate for more than three minutes as drew parity in the 12th minute with Yoon Sung Hoon tearing apart the Chinese defence to shot home (1-1).

Koreans launched several sorties on the rival citadel which fell in face of the repeated bombardment in the 16th minute with Yeo Woon Kon made a fine tearaway move from the flank and side stepped couple of defenders to send the ball home (2-1).

Having taken the lead, the Koreans stepped on to the gas and the Chinese were forced to fall back and crowd their defence.

There was no let up in the Korean pressure as the second session opened but the Chinese seemed to have changed their tactics. They tried to slow down the pace of the game and succeeded in their ploy with the ball confined mainly to the mid field.

Still the Koreans carried enough ammunition to keep their rival defence on tenterhooks. The Chinese tried to take off the pressure off their defence by making some lightening forays but most of their attacks got aborted midway into the Korean half by their solid midfielders.

Chinese managed to keep the marauding Koreans at bay for most of the time in this half but in that process could not make many an effective counter moves.

Four minutes before the final hooter, Korerans forced a penalty stroke when their striker Hong Eun Seong was fouled by Meng Xuguang inside the circle.

Yeo Woon Kon made no mistake in converting the stroke to complete the tally for the winners(3-1.) ''It was a good win,'' a happy Korean coach Cho Myung Jun said.

''We were not perturbed when China scored the goal first,'' he told reporters after the match.

''We had our plan to tackle them, and successfully implemented that,'' he added.

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