South Korea tops pool after draw with China
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| China Daily |
October 27, 2003
China Daily
> Page Views 2142
Former Asian champion South Korea squandered the lead three minutes from time in its last league game Sunday against Champions Trophy holder China, but still topped its pool after the 1-1 draw.
South Korea, displaced as the Asian Games champion by China in Busan last year, finished atop Pool A on goal difference after being tied on seven points with China.
In three matches, the Koreans scored 12 goals and conceded one, while China scored six and let in three.
South Korea's wayward shooting saw it miss two open chances before taking the lead in a 61st-minute goalmouth scrimmage.
But six minutes later, goalkeeper Oh Jin-kyung moved the wrong way and watched Cheng Jiayan's feeble penalty flick trickle in for the equalizer.
In the semifinals, South Korea will take on Commonwealth title winner India, which rode on Adline Kerketa's hat-trick to trounce Kazakhstan 9-0 and take the second place in Pool A.
China's opponent will be All-Africa Games winner South Africa, which topped Pool B by coasting to a 6-0 victory against Ghana, its third successive win.
Four penalty corner goals, including two each by Pietie Coetzee and Johke Koornhof, were the feature of South Africa's win.
Coetzee slammed her first penalty corner goal in the 10th minute to open the scoring. Jennifer Wilson then flicked in the only field goal of the game two minutes later.
Coetzee (18th minute), Koornhof (30th and 48th) and Susan Webber (66th) contributed to the scoreline with their penalty corner drives.
In contrast, India's win included seven open field strikes, including all three by Kerketa.
Shanggai Chanu and Jyoti Sunita Kulu scored two each, while Suman Bala and Surinder Kaur contributed one.
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