China routs Thailand, Bangladesh edges past Lanka

Chennai, Sep 3 (UNI) Emerging Asian hockey powerhouse China and Bangladesh won their respective Group B matches in contrasting styles to collect full points in the seventh Asia Cup Hockey tournament here today.

While China, thanks to a six goal blitz by Hu Hai Ren, sank Thailand 13-0, Bangladesh overcame a tenacious Sri Lanka 3-2. For both China and Bangladesh, this was the second win in three matches.

After the defeat at the hands of India in the tournament lung opener, China was back in the reckoning with a 6-0 win against Bangladesh. Yesterday's rest seemed to have done a world of good as the Chinese pumped in goals at regular intervals to steamroll their rivals, after leading 7-0 at half time.

Hu Hai Ren was unstoppable, opening the scoring with a 14th minute strike and fittingly rounding off the tally with a last minute goal in the 70th minute.

Ren's six goals came in the 14th, 25th, 27th, 54th, 64th and 70th minutes. Men Jun (20th and 68th), Yu Yang (31st and 32nd) and Lu Feng Hui (35th and 38th) and Meng Li Zai (64th) joined the goal scoring act.

Rafael Mohd put Bangladesh ahead as early as in the fourth minute, before Heditiarachchi negated it by equalising in the 31st minute.

After the change of ends, Bangaldesh wrested the initiative pumping in two goals in four minutes through Md Mamun (46th) and Md Zakudil Islam (49th).

The team from the Emerald Isles fought hard and managed to pull one back in the 58th minute when Panditha Rathne found the target, but an equaliser eluded them.

Scores: China-13 (Hu Hai Ren-6, Meng Jun-2, Yu Yang-2, Lu Feng Hui-2, Meng Li Zai-1) bt Thailand-0.

Bangladesh-3 (Rafael Mohd, Md Mamun, Md Zakidul Islam-1 each) bt Sri Lanka-2 (Hedtiarachchi, Panditha Rathne-1 each).

UNI