Korea Hit Bangladesh for Five to Crash the ACT Semi-Final Race
South Korea are right back in the Asian Champions Trophy semi-final race, and they did it in style. A 5-0 win over Bangladesh in Jalandhar on Sunday made it two wins in a row for the Koreans, and it turned the race for the last two semi-final spots into a proper scrap.
This was not a nervy win. Korea went into the game knowing anything less than three points would leave their tournament hanging by a thread, and they played like it. Bangladesh, to their credit, kept coming, but this was a step too far after a brutal week that had already brought a 13-0 defeat to India, a 1-0 loss to Japan and a 6-1 beating by Malaysia.
The win moves Korea to six points from four games, level with Japan. India and Malaysia, both already through, sit above them on nine points each and meet in the big game of the night at 6:30pm PKT. Japan were playing China in the day’s second game, and that result decides whether Korea go into Monday third or fourth.
For Bangladesh, the numbers now make grim reading. Four defeats, one goal scored all tournament, 25 conceded. Their one goal came from Amirul Islam against Malaysia. They finish the league stage against China on Monday, and that game is now about pride and a first point, nothing more.
Korea’s turnaround deserves a moment. They started this tournament with back-to-back defeats, 3-2 to Japan and 3-1 to Malaysia, and looked gone. Then came the comeback win over China, 2-1 from a goal down, with captain Kim Yong-bok and Kim Jeho scoring a minute apart in the second half. Now this, five goals and a clean sheet. That is a team finding form at exactly the right time.
Monday is the last league day, and it is loaded. China play Bangladesh, Malaysia play Japan, and India play Korea. Win that one and Korea are through no matter what happens elsewhere. Lose it, and they are back to counting goals and hoping. After Sunday, though, nobody will be writing them off.
Tonight, all eyes turn to India against Malaysia. Top spot is on the line, both sides are unbeaten, and the winner goes to Mohali as the team to beat. Watch it on Star Sports 2 or JioHotstar.
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