The football matches have kicked off at the Incheon Asian Games 2014, and both of Korea's national soccer teams have celebrated their first victory.

The Korean men's team beat Malaysia 3-0 in one of the matches held before the official opening ceremony for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon. In the Group A match at the Munhak Stadium in Incheon on September 14, Rim Chang-woo, Kim Shin-wook and Kim Seung-dae each scored a goal, one after the other.

In the early minutes of the game, the Korean team drove Malaysia hard, but it had no luck, with several missed scoring opportunities. Then in the 26th minute of the first half Rim Chang-woo headed in a goal after receiving the ball on a corner kick from Ahn Yong-woo. Some 33,000 spectators erupted into cheers for the Korean team's first goal. Getting a head start, Korea finished the first half 1-0.




Malaysia turned to offense, loosening up its defensive bloc, but there were no goals for a while.

In the 33rd minute of the second half, Kim Shin-wook scored the team’s second goal. Kim received the ball from Choi Sung-guen and exchanged several passes with Kim Seung-dae, defying Malaysia's defensive line. He used his right foot to put the ball into the lower-left corner of the net.

Only three minutes later, Kim Seung-dae scored the team’s third goal. He received the ball from the left side of the arc and bypassed two Malaysia players before sending a strong shot with his right foot into the right side of the goal. In total, Kim Seung-dae recorded one goal and one assist.

Korea now leads Group A, along with Saudi Arabia, which beat Laos 3-0. The Korea team will meet Saudi Arabia in the second Group A match at 8:00 p.m. at the Wa Stadium in Ansan on September 17. The first two teams of each group will enter the Round of 16.

Elsewhere in the Incheon Asian Games, the Korean women's national soccer team beat Thailand 5-0 in the first Group A match at the Asiad Rugby Field in Incheon on the same day.

Group A for women's soccer consists of Korea, Thailand, the Maldives and India. In another match held on the same day, India beat the Maldives 15-0.


In the 11th minute of the first half, Jung Seol-bin intercepted a Thai pass and used her left foot to send a strong shot into the net. The follow-on goals were by Park Hee-young, Yoo Young-a, Jeon Ga-eul and Choi Yu-ri.

The Korea women's team will now go on to meet India in the same stadium on September 17.

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr