Korea beat pool leaders Malaysia in penultimate hockey group stage game

Korea's Lee Nam-yong celebrates scoring their second goal against Malaysia during a men's pool B hockey match at the Hangzhou Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Saturday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The Korean men’s hockey team beat Malaysia 4-3 in a close Pool B game at GSP Stadium in Hangzhou, China on Saturday, to take second place in the group with a game left to play.

It was an up-and-down outing against 2018 runners-up Malaysia. After a 1-1 tie in the first quarter, Korea fell one point behind in the second, only to bounce back to tie things up in the third and take the game in the fourth quarter.

With the win, Korea, who’s last medal in men’s hockey was bronze in 2014, jumped to second in Pool B with one game left to play. In Asian Games hockey, only the top two teams in each pool qualify for the qualifiers.

Malaysia lead Pool B with three wins and a loss, pipping Korea on goal difference alone. China take third, also with nine points and a far lower goal difference, but with one game in hand as of press time.

Korea has one Pool B game left to play against Oman on Monday. A victory in that match will be crucial as both China and Malaysia offer stiff competition for the two playoff spots in Pool B.

China and Malaysia have yet to play each other, with that clash — which could also determine Korea’s fate — also set for Monday.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]