Eom Hyo-won helps S. Korean men’s handball team reaches final

INCHEON, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) — The South Korean men’s handball team scored a ticket to the final of the Incheon Asian Games after defeating Bahrain 27-23 on Monday.

South Korean left back Eom Hyo-won scored seven goals to prop up his team in the semifinal held at Seonhak Handball Gymnasium in this western port city of Incheon.

In the gold medal match slated for Thursday, the South Korean men’s team will take on Qatar, which earlier defeated Iran 29-21.

South Korea had a slight upper hand during the first half and led Bahrain at 12-10. The Middle-Eastern country did not go away easily, putting up a fight and managing to catch up after almost every shot made by the South Korean players.

South Korea gradually distanced themselves and assumed a 17-14 lead and kept pace until the end of the contest.

Bahrain clawed back into the game and made it an 18-17 contest. Then Jeong Yi-gyeong and Eom Hyo-won scored consecutive goals to put South Korea back up by 20-17 with about 10 minutes remaining. Oh Yun-suk and then Yu Dong-geun scored on a fast break for a 22-18 advantage.

Bahrain’s attempts to rack up more goals were faltered time and again by goalie Lee Chang-woo, who stopped 13 of 34 shots thrown at him by the opponents.

Seconds before the match came to an end, South Korean captain Park Jung-geu scored on a seven-meter throw.

South Korea has won six of the eight men’s handball gold medals at Asian Games so far.