South Korea thrashed Oman 8-1 to go top of Pool B in the Men's Junior Asia Cup hockey championship being hosted by Salalah, late on Thursday.
In Friday's action at Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex courts, Thailand earned their first win of the tournament after beating fighting Chinese Taipei 4-2 in a Pool A match.
The Asian heavyweights began their scoring in the second quarter after the hosts defended first quarter without any goal.
Minkwon Kim found the target for the Koreans from a penalty corner in the 21st minute. Oman conceded another penalty corner goal after two minutes when Hyun Park netted to make it 2-0.
In the 24th minute, Geonwoo Park raised the score to 3-0 with a field goal.
South Korea moved to a comfortable 4-0 lead in the 26th minute when Dohyun Lim scored from a penalty corner.
Dohyun Lim completed his hat-trick after the half-time break. First Lim, made no mistake from a penalty stroke in the 38th minute. Then, he struck from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute as South Korea raced to a 6-0 lead.
Jiho Choi's brilliant field goal made the scoreline 7-0 in the 46th minute. In the same minute, Aiman Madit struck a consolation goal for Oman from a penalty corner.
Dohyun Lim found his fourth goal of the match in the 56th minute from a penalty corner as South Korea completed the proceedings with a 8-1 scoreline.
South Korea are topping Pool B with six points from two wins. Malaysia also have same points from two matches but with a lesser goal difference.
Bangladesh, who beat Oman 2-0 in their first match, have three points and are third in Pool B.
Oman are fourth and Uzbekistan are fifth with no points.
South Korea will play their next match against Malaysia, while the home team will face Uzbekistan to define positions in Pool B.
THAILAND PREVAIL
In the Friday's Pool A match, Thailand earned their first points after beating Chinese Taipei 4-2.
It was Chinese Taipei who got to a surprise lead in the fourth minute with a good field goal from Cheng-Ze Wei.
Stunned by the early goal, Thailand regrouped in the quarter itself when Kritsada Chueamkaew scored from a penalty corner in the 11th minute.
In the first minute of the second quarter Thailand took the lead when Udomchok Phokphun found the target from a penalty corner.
Thailand made the lead 3-1 from another penalty corner with a strike from Kritsana Phumee one minute before the half-time break.
Chinese Taipei found their continuous efforts for a second goal successfull in the 33rd minute when Chen Yung-Sheng made it 3-2 with a field goal.
However, Taipei's hopes for an equaliser were dashed when Phumee hit his second goal from a penalty corner in the 48th minute as Thailand entered the cushion of 4-2 lead.
With the win, Thailand are fourth ahead of Taipei with three points from as many matches in Pool A.
Pakistan lead the group with six points from two matches, ahead of India with same points on goal difference. Japan are third with three points.
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