Women's Handball Draws Dramatically with Angola... Keeping Hope Alive for Quarterfinals

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Our women's handball national team dramatically drew with Angola, keeping the possibility of advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics alive.

On the 2nd, at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, the national team drew 31-31 with Angola in the 5th match of Group A in the women's handball group stage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. With this result, South Korea's record stands at 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses, and their advancement to the quarterfinals depends on the outcomes of other teams' matches. If Japan (1 win, 3 losses) loses to Norway in the upcoming match, South Korea will advance to the quarterfinals.

Korean women's handball won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games and reached the semifinals at the 2012 London Olympics but was eliminated in the group stage at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Aiming to win a medal for the first time in 13 years at this tournament, Korea secured a dramatic equalizing goal with 10 seconds remaining to finish the match in a draw.

Facing elimination if they lost, Korea entered the court under immense pressure and trailed 11-15, down by 4 goals, with about 7 minutes left in the first half. Then, with consecutive goals by Kang Kyung-min (Gwangju City Corporation) and Jo Ha-rang (Daegu City Hall), Korea narrowed the gap, and just before the end of the first half, Jeong Yu-ra (Daegu City Hall) scored a fast break goal to close the difference to one goal, ending the half.

In the first attack of the second half, Kang Kyung-min scored to tie the game at 17-17. Around 11 minutes into the second half, Ryu Eun-hee (Hungary Gyori) scored to give Korea a 23-22 lead, turning the game around. Korea and Angola exchanged one-goal leads and ties in a close battle, with the score tied at 29-29 until 5 minutes before the end. However, Korea conceded two consecutive goals, and the outlook became bleak.

Shim Hae-in (Busan Facilities Corporation) scored a goal 1 minute and 30 seconds before the end, and with possession regained 40 seconds before the final whistle, Kang Eun-hye (Busan Facilities Corporation) scored with 10 seconds remaining, securing the draw.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.