Korean women's hockey settle for silver after loss to China

The Korean women’s hockey team claimed a silver medal after a 2-0 loss to host country China in the final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday, failing to secure a coveted ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Korean women's hockey team, left, reacts after conceding a goal during the final at the Hangzhou Asian Games against China held at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China on Saturday. [YONHAP]

The Korean women’s hockey team claimed a silver medal after a 2-0 loss to host country China in the final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday, failing to secure a coveted ticket to the Paris Olympics.

Korea struggled early to dominate, conceding a goal in the seventh minute of the game to China's Chen Yi, who put the score at 1-0.

The Korean team's attempt to break through China’s defense proved to be ineffective, failing to score during the second or third quarter and entering the final minutes of the game one goal down.

China widened its lead with a point by Zou Meirong in the fourth quarter, putting the scoreboard at 2-0. With only six minutes remaining until the end of the game, the gold seemed guaranteed for China by that point.

The final score came to 2-0, with China winning gold. The winner of the game — which teams played in the rain at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China — automatically qualified for a spot in next year's Olympics.

The Korean women’s team, on the other hand, settled for silver after failing to medal at the 2018 Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they lost to China in the bronze-medal match. It was Korea's first medal in Asiad hockey since 2014, when they won gold after a 1-0 victory over China.

Saturday’s final wrapped up the Asian Games hockey schedule. Both the Korean men's and women's teams managed medals at this year’s tournament, with the men's team winning bronze a day earlier.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]