CHENNAI (India), Sept 1: Two flash strikes by Ono Tomonori gave Japan a stunning 3-1 victory on Saturday over three-time champions Pakistan in Asia Cup hockey tournament.

Tomonori picked a diagonal pass inside the zone to open the scoring in the 29th minute and Yamabori Takahiko rattled the Pakistan defence with his penalty corner conversion in the 42nd.

Pakistan fought back to reduce the lead with a field goal from Shakeel Abbasi in the 47th minute, but Tomonori capitalized on a defensive lapse three minutes later to seal the result in Japan's favor.

Former world champions Pakistan had beaten Japan 4-2 in the bronze medal match of the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, last year.

Opening its Asia Cup campaign with this victory, Japan are in second spot in Pool A behind Malaysia, who posted their second win by hammering Hong Kong 13-1 on Saturday.

Pakistan have three points from two matches.

Malaysia conceded the first goal against the run of play, but asserted their supremacy with eight of its players making entries in the score book.

Hong Kong's Mohammed Swalik made a flash strike in the 12th minute before Malaysia went on a scoring spree that included three goals each from Kelwinder Singh and Baljit Singh.

Defending champions India and Asian Games gold medalist South Korea scored runaway victories.

South Korea posted their second big win in successive days to consolidate its position at the top of Pool B, while India trounced Sri Lanka 20-0.

Four goals each from striker Seo Jong-ho and penalty corner shooter Kim Byung-hoon secured South Korea's victory.

Prabhjot Singh scored five field goals for India, which was also served well by a hat trick from S. V. Sunil. Six more Indian players joined the goal-scoring party.

China, silver medallist at the Doha Asian Games, bounced back from Friday's loss against India to defeat China 6-0 with No Yubo contributing three goals.—AFP