FORGET MESSI, CHINA’S ‘9GOAL DIVA’ IS HERE
SHANGHAI: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo step aside — the hottest striker in world football at the moment is China’s “Nine-goal Diva” Wang Shanshan. Wang earned that nickname from Chinese fans and media when she plundered a scarcely believable nine goals in a dizzying 29 minutes after coming off the bench in a 16-0 demolition of Tajikistan on Monday at the Asian Games. The forward has found the net a total of 11 times, netting in the 7-0 opening victory over Hong Kong and adding a soaring header as China’s women beat formidable North Korea 2-0 on Wednesday to top their group and make the quarter-finals.
Vietnamese women row to first Asian Games gold
PALEMBANG: An overjoyed Vietnamese women’s rowing team paddled into first place on Thursday to take their country’s only gold of the Asian Games so far, as China racked up six wins on the Palembang lake. Vietnam’s lightweight women’s quadruple sculls claimed gold in the final race of the penultimate day of rowing events, held in the co-host city of Asia’s regional Olympics. “We’re very proud and honoured because we brought victory to our country,” Ta Thanh Huyen said with a beaming smile on her face. “I never thought I could win a gold medal in a tournament like this.” Iran took the silver in the same event — its best-ever result in women’s rowing. China rowed to victory in six out of eight medal races on Thursday.
Chinese swimmer assaulted Korean: report
JAKARTA: A South Korean swimmer was assaulted by a Chinese athlete following an altercation at the Asian Games, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. The incident happened after Kim Hye-jin accidentally struck the Chinese swimmer’s face while training at Jakarta’s Aquatic Center, Yonhap said, citing the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC). The Chinese swimmer, who was not named, kicked Kim and the pair had to be separated by athletes and coaches, the report said.
Son’s South Korea beat Iran to reach quarters
CIKARANG: Son Heung-min’s South Korea defeated Iran 2-0 on Thursday to progress to the Asian Games football quarter-finals in Cikarang, near Jakarta.
Son himself was kept quiet by Iran, who have won the tournament four times, but goals from Hwang Ui Jo and Lee Seungwoo secured South Korea’s safe passage to the last eight. The Tottenham Hotspur forward, one of the overage players in the nominally Under-23 competition, may need South Korea to win the gold medal in Indonesia if he is to be exempt from two years national service. Son was a constant presence in the game.