BD beat S Korea, Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh have finally received some good news at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
The previous days, Bangladeshi athletes had participated in eight events without securing a single victory.
On Monday, however, Bangladesh defeated South Korea by 39-35 points in their opening Group-A match of the men’s kabaddi competition.
The contest between the two teams was intense from the very beginning at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Japan. Bangladesh went into the break leading 17-16.
In the second half, Bangladesh ramped up their attacking intensity, putting pressure on South Korea.
They ultimately outscored their opponents by 22-19 points in the second half to seal the match. Combining the scores from both halves, Bangladesh secured a victory.
The ‘all-out’ proved to be a decisive factor in Bangladesh’s win. Bangladesh earned 4 points by inflicting two all-outs on South Korea, whereas South Korea gained 2 points by inflicting one all-out on Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh kabaddi men’s team were evenly matched in defense as well, both sides earned 2 points each from a successful ‘super tackle’.
Meanwhile, in the second Group -A match held at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium, Bangladesh defeated Chinese Taipei by 48-47 points after a tough contest on the same day.
If Bangladesh can beat Japan in today’s third Group-A match, they will secure a spot in the semi-finals and guarantee at least a bronze medal-though their opponents in the final group match are hot favourites India.
According to Kabaddi rules, all four teams reaching the semi-finals secure a medal.
Bangladesh led by 24-20 points in the first half. Although they had opened up a seven-point lead at one stage, they went into the break with a four-point advantage.
The second half saw a fierce, neck-and-neck battle with both teams playing aggressively; considerable tension was evident among the players. Ultimately, however, Bangladesh held their nerve to claim victory.
Throughout the match, Bangladesh secured four ‘lonas’ compared to Chinese Taipei’s two.
After the match, Bangladesh Coach Abdul Jalil admitted that defensive errors had turned the game into a difficult struggle at one point.
Nevertheless, following this relieving victory, he remains optimistic about beating Japan today.
