South Korea's Men's Hockey Team Stages 3–2 Comeback Win Over Japan, Advances to Semifinals [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] South Korea's men's national hockey team defeated Japan to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Led by head coach Min Tae-seok, the team beat Japan 3–2 in the final Group A match held on the 28th at Kakamigahara Green Stadium in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
With four wins and one loss (12 points), South Korea secured second place in the group and a place in the semifinals.
Before the match, South Korea and Japan both had three wins and one loss (nine points). However, South Korea trailed Japan on goal difference and needed to defeat Japan to reach the semifinals.
South Korea conceded the opening goal in the first quarter, but Yang Ji-hun of the Gimhae City Hall Hockey Team leveled the score with a penalty-corner goal just before the end of the second quarter. Yang then put South Korea ahead with a penalty-stroke goal in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Im Jin-gang of the Incheon Sports Council added a penalty-stroke goal to extend South Korea's lead to 3–1.
South Korea will play for a place in the final at 7 p.m. on October 1 at the same venue. Malaysia, the likely winner of Group B, is the expected opponent.
[email protected] Lee Hyun-jung Reporter