DOHA, Dec 5: India's Asian Games ambitions came crashing down on Tuesday after China scored a stunning 3-2 win in the men's field hockey at the Al Rayyan stadium here.
Defending champions South Korea had no such worries as they opened their campaign with a resounding 9-1 rout of Bangladesh on the back of seven goals from penalty corner specialist Jang Jong-Hyun.
With the Koreans expected to top group B, China's first win over India in a major tournament left them comfortably placed to take the second semi-final spot.
Former champions India face the ominous task of beating South Korea on Sunday to keep their hopes alive of making the last four.
China took a 2-0 lead by the 20th minute through Hu Liang and Liu Xiantang before Rajpal Singh narrowed the margin for India a few seconds before the interval.
Song Yi made it 3-1 in the 58th minute and even though Vokkaliga Raghunath scored off a penalty corner in the 61st, India failed to draw level in the remaining nine minutes.
India paid dearly for wasting six of the seven penalty corners while China, coached by Korean hockey wizard Kim Sang-Ryul, scored off the only set-piece they earned.
Kim had caused a row at the Olympics when he suggested it was impossible to coach women because they refused to obey orders.
The men's team, however, appeared to live up to his expectations.
Indian coach Vasudevan Bhaskaran blamed the defeat on his team's old malaise of failing to convert chances.
In the day's other game, Bangladesh matched the speedy Koreans till the 25th minute when captain Musa Mia equalised Jang's 17th minute goal.
South Korea built up a 2-1 lead by half-time and banged in seven more goals after the break as the inexperienced Bangladeshis wilted under the pressure.
Hong Eun-Seong and Seo Jong-Ho were the other scorers for the Koreans who defeated India in the final to take the gold in the last Asian Games at home in Busan four years ago.
The Koreans are drawn in group B with India, China, Bangladesh and Oman from where two teams will qualify for the semi-finals.
Group A has Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Both finalists in the men and women events in Doha will earn direct spots in the 2008 Beijing Games, according to the new qualifying rules of the International Hockey Federation.
If China finishes among the top two, the third-placed team will make the trip to Beijing.—AFP