MUSCAT: Oman earned their first points with a thrilling 3-2 win against Uzbekistan in the Men’s Junior Asia Cup championship in Salalah on Saturday.
Hahman Akaak netted the winner with three minutes to go for the hosts who posted their first win in the tournament.
Oman are fourth in Pool B with three points after three matches.
The hosts struck in the 10th minute with Al Noufali Alkhoder scoring a field goal. In the 13th minute, Azed al Fazari raised the lead with another brilliant strike.
Uzbekistan reduced the deficit in the 25th minute when Jamshidbek Komilov scored from a penalty corner to make it 2-1.
The score remained the same until the final 10 minutes of the match.
In the 51st minute, Uzbekistan stunned Oman with an equaliser when Shokhrukhbek Salimjonov struck from a penalty corner.
The home team then went out on all-out attack to find a winner and Hahman Akaak struck it sweet with a brilliant field goal in the 57th minute to make it 3-2.
MALAYSIA ON TOP
Earlier, Malaysia outsmarted South Korea 3-1 to confirm their place on top of Pool B.
With their third win of as many pool matches, Malaysia have nine points. South Korea sit second with six points from three matches.
In a well-contested Pool B match at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex Pitch 1, Malaysia took the lead in the first quarter itself with Perabu Tangaraja scoring from a penalty corner in the 11th minute.
No further goals were scored until the last quarter of the match with South Korea defending well.
Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi made it 2-0 in the 54th minute from another penalty corner.
The Koreans pushed hard for a goal and Geonwoo Park found the target in 56th minute with a brilliant field goal to make it 2-1.
Malaysia were on the attack again and Kamal Mughni confirmed their victory by striking from a penalty corner.
Bangladesh are third in Pool B with six points but on a lesser goal difference compared to second-placed South Korea.
In a late match on Friday, Bangladesh beat Uzbekistan 3-1.
Star player Amirul Islam netted a brace (15th, 22nd minutes) from penalty corners while Mohammad Uddin found the target though a field goal in the 34th minute as Bangladesh raced ahead 3-0.
Uzbekistan pulled one back in the 51st minute as Fozilbek Husanov made his name into the scoresheet with a field goal.
JAPAN THRASH TAIPEI
In a Pool A match on Saturday, Japan thrashed Chinese Taipei 10-1.
Japan now have equal six points with Pool A leaders Pakistan and second-placed India but played one additional match.
Japan, who lost to India 3-1 in their last match, came back all guns blazing against minnows Taipei.
Ikumi Saeki put Japan into an early lead from a penalty corner in the third minute. Kumpei Yasuda’s brace (16th, 29th minutes) put them in a 3-0 lead. Tsubasa Tanaka made it 4-0 in the 29th minute from a penalty corner.
After the half-time, Kodai Saeki turned on the style with four goals (36-pc, 37-pc, 44-pc, 45th minutes).
Hiro Saito (40) and Ikumi Saeki (41-pc) were also on target as Japan completed their 10 goals.
Yueh Chin-Cheng netted a consolation goal for Taipei in the 38th minute.
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