Japan route Chinese Taipei 12-0, Malaysia blank Singapore 5-0

Hong Kong, Sept 4 (UNI) Goal fest continued in the sixth Women's Asia Cup with Japan routing Chinese Taipei 12-0 while Malaysia blanking Singapore 5-0 here today.

Keiko Miura was the main architect of Japanese annihilation of hapless Chinese Taipei team in a Pool B fixture, top-scoring with five goals, all of them coming from penalty corners.

Chie Kimura and Tomomi Komori chipped in two goals apiece while Sakae Morimoto, Sachimi Iwao and Myumi Ono sounded the board once each.

For Chinese Taipei, slightly built but nimble footed Chang Ya-Fang impressed with good stickwork and had several forays into Japanese territory.

Leading 6-0 at the lemon break, the free running Japanese clinically destroyed their hapless opponents and in the process moved to the top of pool on goal difference ahead of Korea who last night mauled hosts Hong Kong 18-0.

With today's win, Japan are levelled with Korea on six points from two wins each, but moved on top slot on better goal difference -- 26 for Japan as against 25 for Korea.

India are in a very similar position in Pool A, leading China on goal difference of one with both sides also on six points from two wins each.

India have so far scored 22 goals without conceding any while China have also scored 22 but conceded one against Malaysia in their opening match.

Both China and India are in action tomorrow against Thailand and Singapore respectively.

Later, in a Pool A fixture, Malaysia blanked South East Asian rivals Singpaore 5-0.

Kannagi Arumugam, Sylvester Fazilla Silin, Nadia Abdul Rahman, Ramah Othman and Norfarahah Hashim scored one goal each.

With Malaysia netting two field goals inside the first ten minutes of the game through Arumugam and Sylvester, the result was never in any doubt.

Malaysia scored the third goal shortly before the interval and then cruised home in the second half with the fifth goal coming right on the final whistle when Norfarahah converted a penalty corner to wrap up the match.

UNI