South Korea thump Thailand 4-0 to reach Asian Games last 16
HANGZHOU, China: Defending Asian Games men’s football champions South Korea became the first team into the last 16 after a 4-0 cruise past Thailand on Thursday. Hosts China and North Korea also registered second successive wins and both need only a point from their final group games on Sunday to guarantee a place in the knockout phase. South Korea raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time at the Jinhua Sports Center stadium via a goal apiece for Hong Hyun-seok, An Jae-jun, Um Wong-san and Lee Jae-ik. It sparked thoughts that the gold medal winners from Jakarta in 2018 might repeat their 9-0 opening game rout of Kuwait on Tuesday, but the Thais were more resolute in the second half. China had a sizeable crowd at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium rocking by half-time as they also went 4-0 up before the break against Myanmar. Two goals from Long Tan and one apiece from Dai Wenjun and Wang Zhenao put them into cruise control and though they peppered the Myanmar goal in the second half they, like the South Koreans, could not add to their score. Earlier on Thursday, India kept their last-16 hopes alive by edging Bangladesh 1-0 with a goal from 39-year-old striker Sunil Chhetri. “I feel relief that we gave ourselves a chance to stay in the tournament,” said the veteran. India lost their opening game 5-1 to China on Tuesday but can still go through from Group A if they beat Myanmar on Sunday. “It wasn’t easy, playing back-to-back in two days, and in three days we have a game again.
