The EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2017 Round 2 HONG KONG Women’s tournament kicked off on Tuesday with Guam losing 0-13 to Korea Republic at Hong Kong Football Club.

Neither team created any chances until the third minute, when Korea Republic’s free kick near the right sideline spurred on a sustained attack by the runners-up of EAFF East Asian Cup Final Competition 2015.

Korea Republic needed just nine minutes to score when LEE Min A settled KANG Yumi’s cross, with midfielder JUNG Seolbin gently looping the ball into the top right corner.

Less than six minutes later, MOON Mira squeezed past Guam defender ZAVALA Danielle and rounded goalkeeper GARRIDO Sophia to make it 2-0 with a tap-in from meters away.

Guam were rarely able to sustain possession in Korea Republic’s end, earning their first free kick past midfield when captain PEREZ Anjelica was taken down with a high kick by EO Hee Jin, who was shown a yellow card. PEREZ was helped to the sideline and soon left the match.

JUNG earned her second goal of the match when she headed in a rebound of KANG’s blocked shot in the 23rd minute. Just three minutes later, MOON earned her second goal of the day with a clever effort into the upper right corner.

JUNG completed her hat trick in the 33rd minute when JANG Selgi’s cross was deflected in front of her by a Guam defender, and LEE made it 6-0 five minutes before halftime from the penalty spot.

The second half continued in a similar vein, with JUNG scoring her fourth of the match in the 48th minute when her low grounder threaded through two Guam defenders and into the net past helpless goalkeeper GARRIDO.

Just after JUNG and MOON were substituted out, KANG deftly headed in substitute LEE Geummin’s cross in the 55th minute, and JANG made it 9-0 in the 61st minute with a rocket from the edge of the penalty area.

Korea Republic were forced to swap goalkeepers with their final substitution when JUNG Boram, who faced no shots from the opposition, was injured in a collision with teammate EO Hee Jin.

Once play resumed, KWON Eunsom scored on a tap-in from LEE Min A, who netted her own unmarked header in the 79th minute. The final goal came four minutes short of full time with a blistering curler from CHO So Hyun, concluding a trying 90 minutes for Guam.

By Cesare Polenghi (twitter)