KUWAIT CITY, Sept 19:  The Kuwaiti Olympic team faced a devastating defeat against the South Korean squad yesterday in the opening match of the Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China. The game, part of the first round of the fifth group competitions, ended with an astounding nine-goal lead in favor of the South Korean team.

In the same round, the Bahraini and Thai teams played to a 1-1 draw. However, the Kuwaiti team's defeat is historic, marking a significant setback in their history of participation in various Gulf and continental championships. The players struggled to maintain focus and keep up with the formidable South Korean opponents. The majority of the players appeared demoralized, and Portuguese coach Emilio Peixe found it challenging to devise effective strategies to prevent this devastating loss.

The South Korean team came out strong, with Jeong Woo-young opening the scoring just three minutes into the game. Cho Young-wook added the second goal in the 19th minute, and Baek Seung-ho scored the third goal just before the end of the first half. Shortly after, Jeong Woo-young secured his second personal goal and the fourth for his team.

The Korean team maintained relentless pressure, extending their lead with Jeong Woo-young completing a hat-trick and adding the fifth goal just three minutes into the second half. Wong-sang contributed the sixth goal in the 52nd minute, and Cho Young-wook scored the seventh goal in the 74th minute. Jae Young Park added the eighth goal in the 81st minute, and Jae Joon Ahn wrapped up the scoring with the ninth goal in stoppage time.

The next round of group competitions is scheduled for tomorrow, where the Kuwaiti Olympic team will face Bahrain, while South Korea will take on Thailand.