China's women's ice hockey team kicked off the inaugural IIHF Women's Asia Championship in style on Thursday, securing a commanding 5-0 victory against Kazakhstan at Beijing's Shougang Park. The venue, once home to the 2022 Winter Olympics, buzzed with energy as forward Qu Yue stunned the crowd with a goal just 56 seconds into the game ⚡️.
Teammates Zhang Biyang and Fang Xin added two more goals in the first period, setting the tone for a dominant performance. Captain Yu Baiwei praised the squad's young players, saying, \"This high-level event helps us tap our potential. We're ready to fight to the end!\" 💪
Meanwhile, Japan delivered a jaw-dropping 12-0 win over South Korea, with seven goals scored in the second period alone 🚨. The tournament continues Saturday as China takes on South Korea, while Japan faces Kazakhstan. With world No. 7 Japan leading the rankings, all eyes are on whether China can leverage their momentum to climb higher 🌟.
Fun fact: The ice rink hosted the World Table Tennis China Smash just weeks ago – talk about a venue with range! 🏓❄️
