South Korea secured a commanding 5:0 victory over Myanmar in the opening Group Stage match of the women's Asian Games tournament on 14 September. The hosts dominated from the outset, converting their superiority into goals while leaving Myanmar chasing shadows throughout.
And here's the thing about the opening exchanges — South Korea had a Son Hwa-Yeon effort disallowed by VAR just before the quarter-hour mark, but the frustration quickly evaporated. Kim Min-Ji got over the line twice in quick succession, netting in the 29th and 33rd minutes to give her side a 2:0 lead before the interval. Jang Sel-Gi added a third in the 38th, and by then Myanmar were already playing catch-up.
The second half brought further punishment, though South Korea also squandered two penalties. Choe Yu-Ri missed in the 48th minute, and Ji So-Yun failed to convert in the 65th — two chances gone begging. But they snatched a fourth goal when Choe Yu-Ri finally got her name on the scoresheet in the 76th minute, and the visitors had little to show for their efforts all afternoon.
Myanmar made changes in search of something, bringing on Y. Khine and Tun Win Theingi in the 66th minute, followed by Lin Lae Oo in the 75th. South Korea responded with their own substitutions, Son Hwa-Yeon and Kang Chae-Rim coming on together in the 69th, with Ji So-Yun and Ko Yoo-Jin replacing each other in the 82nd. Phyu Phyu Win picked up a yellow card in the 80th, a late caution that barely mattered given the state of play.
To be fair, the result tells you everything about where these teams stand. South Korea sit second in the group with one win and three points, while Myanmar are third with a solitary defeat and no points to their name. The Koreans have shown they can be ruthless when opportunities arise, and Myanmar will need to regroup quickly if they want to avoid running out of games with nothing to show.
