South Korea's women's handball team confirmed their status as tournament favourites with a decisive 46-18 victory against Vietnam at the Asian Games on Thursday morning. The hosts, already second in the standings with three wins from three matches, made no mistake in what could have been a trap game against a stubborn Vietnamese side.
Vietnam had shown resilience in their opening campaign, drawing all four of their previous matches without registering a single defeat. That streak ended emphatically as South Korea's attacking prowess proved too much to handle. By then, the gap between the two teams was clear to see.
The result keeps South Korea's perfect record intact and extends their winning run. Vietnam now sit seventh with four draws and zero points, a situation that reflects their inability to convert draws into victories. The hosts have been second to nothing in this tournament.
South Korea's recent form has been nothing short of spectacular. They had scored 48 goals against Hong Kong, 43 against Uzbekistan, and 42 against Kazakhstan in their previous outings. Even their loss to Czech Republic in December showed they could compete at a higher level. The crowd roared them on throughout.
For Vietnam, the pattern continues. Their matches against Asian opponents have been tight affairs — 29-21 against Uzbekistan, 29-25 against Kazakhstan, 26-23 against Hong Kong, and 40-14 against Japan. Those results paint a picture of a team that can compete but cannot win.
The 28-goal margin tells its own story. South Korea cannot afford another slip if they want to maintain their position near the top. Vietnam's goal difference remains a concern as they look to break their draw cycle. The standings will shift once more after this result.
