Eom Ji-sung scored three first-half goals as Korea routed Qatar 4-1 in its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 opener.
Eom Ji-sung of Korea celebrates after completing a hat trick against Qatar during the teams' Group D match of the men's football tournament at the Asian Games at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 15 YONHAP

NAGOYA, Japan — Korea's men's football team opened its bid for a fourth straight Asian Games gold medal with a 4-1 rout of Qatar on Tuesday, powered by a first-half hat trick from Eom Ji-sung.

Coached by Lee Min-sung, Korea beat Qatar in its Group D opener at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, played at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field. The win put Korea, which has won gold at the last three Asian Games dating back to the 2014 Incheon Games, on track for a fourth consecutive title.

Little went right before kickoff. A shuttle bus arranged by the organizing committee took the team to the wrong venue — a baseball stadium — delaying its arrival by 30 minutes, and heavy rain fell throughout the first half. Korea nonetheless outshot Qatar 13-2, and Qatar failed to register a single shot in the first half, eventually scoring its only goal off a set piece in the 85th minute after being outplayed.

The Asian Games caps rosters at players 23 and under, with three wildcard slots for older players. Korea struggled against Qatar at this age group, entering Tuesday's match with a record of one win, five draws and two losses against the team. But Qatar built its squad entirely from under-21 players this time, with an eye toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while Korea used all three of its wildcard slots and fielded only five players born in 2005 or later.

Wildcard players have carried Korea's past three Asian Games campaigns. Kim Shin-wook, Park Joo-ho and Kim Seung-gyu shored up the roster at the 2014 Incheon Games. Son Heung-min played at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, winning gold. Paik Seung-ho, Park Jin-seob and Seol Young-woo contributed to the title at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

This time, Korea called on 24-year-olds Eom and Yang Hyun-jun, and 26-year-old Lee Gi-hyuk, all of whom were on Korea's World Cup roster this year. "Yang Hyun-jun and Eom Ji-sung both have strong one-on-one ability on the flanks — I've been watching that closely," coach Lee Min-sung said at a news conference Monday. "Lee Gi-hyuk will anchor the midfield."

Eom Ji-sung of Korea, right, high-fives teammate Yang Hyun-jun after scoring against Qatar during the teams' Group D match of the men's football tournament at the Asian Games at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 15. YONHAP

Eom, of Swansea City, delivered on his coach's expectations as Korea's lead attacker. Playing on the left flank, he opened the scoring in the seventh minute, running onto a long ball from center back Kim Ji-soo that split Qatar's defense. With the goalkeeper closing his angle, Eom calmly finished left-footed to the near post.

He struck again in the 20th minute, pouncing on a Qatar defensive error and finishing with his right foot. His scoring instinct didn't stop there: a third shot was blocked, but a fourth found the net, this one set up by Lee Seung-won on the right side of the penalty area, with Eom feinting past defenders before finishing right-footed for his hat trick. He held up three fingers and smiled, and was applauded off the pitch when he was substituted in the 88th minute.

Yang was also impressive on the right wing, pressing into space all match. In the 66th minute, he capped a buildup sequence with a through ball to Kim Myeong-jun, who scored to seal the win. Captain Lee Gi-hyuk anchored the team's balance at both ends of the pitch.

Korea plays Saudi Arabia in its second group match next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Unlike the other three groups, Group D has only three teams, so Korea will play just two group-stage matches.