Rajgir, Sep 1: Malaysia and Korea sealed their berths in the Super 4 stage of the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament after registering emphatic wins in their respective Pool B matches on Monday. Malaysia, already the favourites in the group, underlined their superiority with a staggering 15-0 demolition of Chinese Taipei. Korea, meanwhile, brushed aside Bangladesh 5-1 to secure the second qualifying spot from the pool.

With three wins from as many outings, Malaysia topped the pool with a maximum nine points. Korea followed in second with six points, while Bangladesh managed three points from their lone win. Chinese Taipei endured a forgettable campaign, ending without a single point.

The Malaysian juggernaut was powered by a flurry of goals from multiple scorers. Ashran Hamsani was the star of the show, netting four times in the 8th, 15th, 32nd, and 54th minutes. Akhimullah Anuar was equally impressive with a hat-trick, scoring in the 10th, 20th, 29th, and 45th minutes. Norsyafiq Sumantri also bagged a hat-trick, striking in the 20th, 40th, and 60th minutes. Abu Azrai (22nd), Andywalfian Effrynus (24th), and Aiman Rozemi (32nd) added to the tally as Malaysia’s relentless attack proved too much for Chinese Taipei’s defence.

Earlier in the day, Korea faced a more competitive test against Bangladesh but still emerged as convincing winners. Dain Son struck twice in quick succession (9th, 11th minutes) to put Korea in command. Seungwoo Lee extended the lead in the 16th minute, before Bangladesh pulled one back through Sohanur Sobuj’s fine effort in the 22nd. However, Korea restored their cushion almost immediately as Seyong Oh (22nd) and Jihun Yang (60th) sealed the victory.

The results confirmed the expected outcome from Pool B, with Malaysia showcasing their attacking depth and Korea relying on their structured play. Both teams will now carry strong momentum into the Super 4 stage, where the competition is set to intensify with Asia’s heavyweights clashing for a spot in the final.

--IANS

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