By Kim Boram
The South Korean men’s volleyball team has successfully advanced to the next stage of the Asian Games in China after defeating Cambodia on Thursday.
In the second Pool C match at the Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, the 27th-ranked South Korea was triumphant with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-15) victory against Cambodia, who are not ranked on the world’s volleyball ranking system.
This marks the team’s first success in the continental tournament, which commences on Saturday for a 16-day period, after suffering a surprising 3-2 loss to 73rd-ranked India the day before.
Thanks to the win, South Korea clinched second place in Pool C in the preliminary group stage and earned a spot in the following 12-team knockout round. India was the group’s leader with two wins, while Cambodia was eliminated after two defeats.
South Korea will go up against 51st-ranked Pakistan, who topped Pool D after two consecutive wins, on Friday for a quarterfinal berth Sunday. If all goes well, South Korea will play in the semifinals on Monday and the final on Tuesday.
South Korean men have achieved podium finishes in the volleyball event at every Asian Games since 1966, accumulating 15 medals in total. South Korea won silver behind Iran in 2018.
Jung Ji-seok (R, in red) of South Korea hits a spike against Cambodia during a preliminary Pool C match at Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China, for the 19th Asian Games on Sept. 21, 2023. (Yonhap)
After snatching the tight first set 25-23, South Korea achieved a comfortable 25-13 win in the second set due to blocks and opponents’ errors.
The third set was also easy for Korea, beginning with an early 3-0 lead. It extended the lead to 16-9 on two aces by middle blocker Kim Min-jae, and its potent attacks led by outside hitters Jung Ji-seok and Jeong Han-young assisted the country in sealing the match at 25-15.
Jung, who missed Wednesday’s opener due to back pain, was the country’s most effective player with 11 points, including one ace and two blocks, while his teammate, Kim Min-jae, scored 10 points, including two aces.
brk@yna.co.kr
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