South Korea's men's water polo team achieved a historic victory by defeating China 15-14, marking the first win against them in Asian Games history.
The South Korean team triumphed in their opening match of Group B at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held on September 26 at the Rainbow Pool in Nagoya, Japan.
The match was fiercely contested throughout, but the South Korean team demonstrated focus in the final moments, gaining an advantageous position in the group standings.
South Korea started strong, leading 3-1 at the end of the first quarter. However, they faced a strong counterattack from China in the second and third quarters, resulting in a tight 10-10 tie by the end of the third quarter. With just 4.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter, South Korea's top scorer Han Hyo-min (Gwangju Jeonnam Sports Council) netted a goal, putting the team ahead 15-14.
They successfully defended against China's final offensive, securing a dramatic one-point victory.
Having finished sixth in the previous tournament, South Korea aims to win a medal for the first time in 36 years since the 1990 Beijing Games.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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