Korea have kept their hopes of a World Cup semifinal berth alive with a 9-2 rout of Canada.

By Anshul Baijal

Korea are very much in semifinal contention after drubbing Canada 9-2 on Sunday at Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.

Jong Hyun Jang scored a hat-trick while Hyo Sik You and Hyun Nam Woo netted two each. Nam Yong Lee and Sung Hoon Yoon also joined the party with a goal each to make sure Phillip Wright's brace for Canada was just a formality.

Korea were slow to get off the blocks and were happy to control the midfield. The 2009 Champions Trophy bronze medalists soon picked up pace and went ahead in the 23rd minute, when Nam scored off a penalty corner.

The Koreans, looking for their second win of the tournament, kept applying the pressure in search of a second. Their persistence finally paid off when Jang converted a penalty stroke late into the first half.

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In stark contrast to the first half, the Koreans picked up early momentum after the breather. They scored thrice in the first six minutes to push the Canadians out of the game.

The first of these goals came in the 38th minute after Lee's shot was deflected in by a Canada defender. Yoon made it 4-0 in the 41st minute and Korea had a five-goal advantage in the very next minute, when You scored off a Jong Ho Seo cross.

Wright pulled a goal back for the North Americans in the 42nd minute, but Korea restored a five-goal advantage three minutes later. Jang flicked it into the Canadian net to score his second of the game.

The Koreans kept pushing forward in order to improve their goal difference but Wright reduced the deficit against the run of play, when he deflected in a Mark Pearson shot.

The Asian side attacked the hapless Canadians from both flanks and they made it 7-2 in the 61st minute, when Jang converted a penalty corner to complete his hat-trick.

Two minutes later You made a brilliant solo run down the right flank to heap more misery on the North Americans.

Nam scored his second goal of the match in the 67th minute to complete the rout for the Koreans.

The win leaves Korea in with a chance to make it to the semi-finals. Canada, who are yet to earn a point in this tournament, are already out of contention.

The Asians will be up against The Netherlands in their next game, while Canada take on Argentina on Tuesday.

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