The South Korean men's hockey team faced its first defeat at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, losing 8-2 to India.
Under the guidance of head coach Min Tae-seok, South Korea played its third match in Group A on September 24 at the Gakamigahara Green Stadium in Japan. After winning its opening match against Bangladesh 5-0 on September 18 and defeating Indonesia 5-0 on September 22, the team now holds a record of 2 wins and 1 loss. India, the defending champion from the previous Hangzhou Asian Games, continued its winning streak with three consecutive victories.
South Korea, which had scored 10 goals without conceding any in its first two matches, struggled to contain India's offense. The team allowed four goals in the first quarter and trailed 5-0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, with the score at 0-7, Kim Jae-ho (Army Sports Corps) scored South Korea's first goal. Kim Yong-bok (Seongnam City Hall) added another goal in the fourth quarter, but the gap remained unbridged.
India showcased its offensive prowess, having previously defeated Indonesia 13-1 and Sri Lanka 16-1 in its first two matches, and continued to dominate against South Korea.
In Group A, six teams compete in a round-robin format, with each team playing five matches. The top two teams will advance to the semifinals. After three matches, South Korea's record stands at 2 wins and 1 loss.
South Korea will face Sri Lanka on September 26 at 3 PM, followed by a crucial match against Japan on September 28 at 5 PM, which is expected to be pivotal for advancing to the semifinals.
The South Korean men's hockey team won a bronze medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, marking its return to the podium after eight years since the 2014 Incheon Games. The team is aiming for its first gold medal in 20 years since the 2006 Doha Games.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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