Susan Webber’s five-goal streak led South Africa’s rousing 12-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Thursday in the Afro-Asian Games women’s field hockey competition.
Pietie Coetzee, Kerry Bee and Sharne Wehmeyer scored two goals each, and Bronwyn Ross contribute one in South Africa’s opening Pool A league match.
Former Asian Games winner South Korea and Commonwealth champion India also posted impressive wins.
India cantered past Ghana 8-0 in its Pool A match, while South Korea defeated Kenya 5-0 in a Pool B game after the organisers made last-minute schedule changes due to the non-arrival of China, the reigning Asian Games champion.
China’s match against Nigeria, which had been scheduled for Friday, the Games’ formal opening day, has been rescheduled for Saturday, said Satinder Walia, an organiser of the women’s hockey competition.
”The Chinese women will arrive Friday morning and will go straight into the game against Kenya,” Walia said.
”The technical committee decided to accommodate the China-Nigeria game, but it will force China to play two matches on successive days,” he said.
Launching South Africa’s scoring spree, Webber netted her first goal in open field play in the fifth minute and then slammed in four penalty corners, overshadowing star striker Coetzee.
Kim Jong-eun led South Korea’s charge with two goals.
Kim Jin-ju started with an open field strike in the fourth minute, but Kenya’s hard-tackling defenders denied South Korea another goal until halftime.
Lee Yuon-hee breached the Kenyan defence in the 40th minute to open the floodgates. Kim Jong-eun slammed in a field goal in the 47th minute and converted a penalty corner in the 58th, while Sin Byong-ju shot home in the 51st minute.
Seven strikers made entries in the score-book as India outplayed Ghana.
Ghana defended stoutly before its goal fell for the first time in the 19th minute on a penalty corner deflection by Suraj Lata Devi.
Shanggai Chanu capitalised on a through pass in the 27th minute and Jyoti Sunita Kulu shot past goalkeeper Josephine Adusie to give India a three-goal lead at halftime.
Surinder Kaur scored a brace — a 58th-minute field goal followed by a penalty corner conversion four minutes later — as India accelerated in the second session.
Flash strikes from Annarita Kerketa, Adline Kerketa and Sumai Tete rounded off the Indian scoring. — Sapa-AP