Bangladesh made a frustrating start in the eight-nation 11th Asia Cup Hockey ‘2022 after suffering 1-6 goal defeat against former champions South Korea in their first match at the GBK Hockey Field in Jakarta on Monday.
In the match, captain Khurshedur Rahman put Bangladesh team ahead in the 6th minute from a penalty corner astonishing the four times champions South Korea (1-0).
After conceding an early goal, Korean players reorganized themselves to create strong pressure over Bangladesh and scored six goals in a row.
South Korea, which took 3-1 lead in the first half (2nd quarter), scored two more goals in the 3rd quarter (5-1) and confirmed their comfortable victory adding one more goal in the 4th and last quarter (6-1).
In the opening match, Malaysia outplayed Oman by 7-0 goal Monday morning in another Pool B match at the same venue.
Earlier, Bangladesh team was placed in four-team Pool B with Malaysia, South Korea and Oman while Pool A team comprises India Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia.
In the remaining Pool B matches, Bangladesh will play Oman on Tuesday (May 24) at 10:45 am and meet Malaysia on Thursday (May 26) at 1: pm, all are Bangladesh time.
In Monday’s two Pool A matches, Japan due to meet hosts Indonesia while India scheduled play their arch- rivals Pakistan.
Ahead of the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Hockey’ 2022, Bangladesh played two preparatory matches in Jakarta last week.
Bangladesh suffered 1-5 goals defeat against holders India in their 2nd preparatory match after beating hosts Indonesia by 2-1 goals in the first match.
Top five teams of the last Asia Cup–holders India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea–,hosts Indonesia and last AHF Cup champions Bangladesh and runners- up Oman have earned rights to play in the eight-nation Asia Cup Hockey.
South Korea clinched the Asia Cup title for a record four times while India followed them by winning the title for three times.
Bangladesh qualified for the eight-nation Hero Men’s Asia Cup Hockey main event by clinching the nine-nation Men’s AHF Cup Hockey title for the 4th consecutive times with all-win record also held in Jakarta last March.
Source: United News of Bangladesh