China completes hat-trick of gold in Asiad women’s hockey
Chinese women hockey team proved itself to be best in Asia by defeating the past super start South Korea (four times gold medallist) in the 16th Asian Games. China has completed its hat-trick by obtaining third consecutive gold medal at Aoti Hockey
Centre at Guangzhou.
The host China accomplished the third gold medal after beating South Korea with 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday, November 24, 2010.
China, the emerging power of women’s field hockey in Asia had won the first gold medal in 2002 Asian Games at Busan and also acquired the triumph in 2006 Doha Asiad. On the other hand, opponent South Korea had won four gold medals and two silvers in Asian
Games women’s hockey event since first Asiad in 1982.
China displayed more ball control in the regulation time of seventy minutes. South Korea failed to take lead when Lee Seon-Ok the Captain of Korean squad missed the penalty corner in the 7th minute of the match.
China also earned two penalty corners in the second half of the game but could not mark any goal. Chinese skipper, Fu Baorong also got a chance in the 54th minute of the match but her great flicking shot hit the sidebars of goalposts.
South Korea and China were locked at 0-0 after the completion of regulation time and also failed to break the impasse in extra time of 15 minutes. Since the match was levelled at 0-0 even after the given time, both squads went into penalty shoot-out making
it an exciting thriller.
Chinese squad spent the majority of over-time in defensive game following the exclusion of Zhao Yudiao from the field after an obvious foul. It seemed that the girls of China wanted to take the game into the penalty shoot-outs.
The custodian of South Korea, Young h*i delivered outstanding performance in the regulation time and blocked three drag flicks of Chinese strikers. However, she could not save any single hit out of total five penalty shoot-outs.
South Korean striker, Kim Eun Sil unfortunately missed the first penalty stroke and gave a clear chance China to mark the victory. All the Chinese hitters successfully netted the ball and sealed the triumph of China at 5-4.
Chinese hockey coach of women’s squad, Kim Sang Ryol said that there performance was not satisfactory as they missed many opportunities. But they completed the hat-trick of gold medals with the struggle of players. He said,
“We missed too many chances but we deserved our gold and it means so much. We are still a developing team, with young and older players, and we are full of confidence as we look towards the London Olympics now.”
Kim Sang, who was in delighting state of mind after the win said that they achieved silver in last Olympics Games but then they are eying at gold in the upcoming 2012 London Olympics. They knew that it will be a tough competition with European teams particularly
super star Argentina and Australia but they would try to acquire the hard competition, he added.
Chinese skipper, Fu Baorong told reporters that the match against South Korea was a hard task but she had belief on her squad that they would achieve the victory.
Goalkeeper of South Korea, Moon Young h*i was in heavy tears after the completion of match and said,
“I really feel unhappy and it’s a pity that we again lost the gold medal match in Asian Games.”
The duo finalist teams, China the winner and South Korea the runner up have been automatically qualified for the London Olympics according to the rules of International Hockey Federation (FIH). The FIH awards two directs tickets to the two women’s finalists
and lone berth for the winner of men’s hockey event in Asiad.
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