India lose to China
in women's hockey

India began their campaign in women's hockey on a disastrous note, losing 0-2 to China in the opening match of the Asian Games competition in Busan on Saturday.

The Commonwealth Games gold medal winners failed to live up to expectations as they were outplayed in all departments by the speedy Champions Trophy winners, who pumped in both goals in the second half through skipper Chen Zhao Xia.

Xia scored her goals through penalty-corners in the 38th and 61st minutes of the match.

In the other match in the four-team tournament, South Korea beat Japan 3-2.

Though the Chinese were streets ahead, the Indians paid dearly for missing a couple of goal-scoring opportunities, which included a penalty-stroke in the last minute of the match, the Chinese goalkeeper saving Manjinder Kaur's push.

In fact, India should consider themselves lucky to lose only by two goals. The margin could have been higher had Indian goalkeeper Tingongleima Chanu not brought off at least six smart saves. The Indians defenders also did well to deny the opposition space near the goal-mouth and when the Chinese forwards had a good look at goal, goalkeeper Chanu rose to the occasion.

China forced 13 penalty-corners and converted two of them while India, who had converted almost half of their penalty-corners en route to the Commonwealth Games gold medal, failed to utilise the three they earned.

India next meet South Korea on Monday.

In the other match, South Korea defeated the 1998 Bangkok Games bronze medallists to stay on course for a fifth consecutive gold medal in the Games.

Kim Eu-Jin, captain Lee Eun-Young and Lee Mi-Seong were the scorers for South Korea while Iwao sachimi and Saito Naoko scored for Japan.

The tournament is being held on a league-cum-knockout basis with the top two teams playing for gold and the next two fighting it out for a bronze.