Korea Republic have reached the quarter-finals of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, by claiming pole position in Group B with an emphatic victory.

Kim Hagbum’s side defeated Honduras 6-0 in their final group game at the International Stadium Yokohama on Wednesday. Despite the 1-0 defeat in the opening match against New Zealand, the Taegeuk Warriors got back on track with a 4-0 win over Romania before securing another victory to win the group and reach the last eight.

Coach Kim started all of the overaged players at his disposal, namely Hwang Uijo, Kwon Changhoon and Park Jisu. Hwang led the attack as a lone striker in front of Kim Jinya, Kwon and Lee Dongjun; Won Dujae and Kim Jingyu in central midfield; Kang Yoonseong, Park Jisu, Jeong Taewook and Seol Youngwoo at the back; Song Bumkeun between the sticks.

The men in red surged forward from the outset, with Kim Jinya and Lee Dongjun creating chances with slaloming runs on both flanks. Lee was brought down on the right side of the area after just ten minutes, and Hwang converted the resulting penalty to register his first goal of the tournament.

There was no stopping the waves of red. On 16 minutes, Jeong’s glancing header off a corner smashed the crossbar before Alex Guity managed to stop the ensuing effort from Park. Moments later, Jeong was pulled down inside the box by Carlos Melendez, before Won stepped up to make it 2-0 from the spot.

Korea Republic did not rest on their two-goal cushion, but went on to search for another goal midway through the first half. Lee Dongjun found Hwang lurking into the edge of the area, only for the Bordeaux marksman to curl his low shot straight at Guity. Hwang then miscued another effort with only the keeper to beat.

Honduras were down to ten men on 39 minutes, when Melendez received a red card after a reckless challenge on Lee Dongjun. Won then hit the crossbar deep into added time, before Hwang scored his second of the afternoon on the stroke of half time.

Coach Kim brought Um Wonsang on for Lee Dongjun during the interval. And it took only six minutes for Korea Republic to win another penalty, after Kim Jinya was brought down by Christopher Melendez. Hwang stepped up to convert the resulting spot-kick, completing his hat-trick before Lee Kangin came off the bench to replace him on 57 minutes.

The Taegeuk Warriors kept up the momentum to score their fifth of the evening. Seol broke into the right channel to send a low cross into the centre of the box, where Kim Jinya connected with a clinical finish. Another pass from Seol left Um tantalisingly close to scoring, but his effort somehow just missed the target.

Korea Republic’s formidable firepower lit up the stadium as Lee Kangin rounded off the goal fest with eight minutes remaining, curling an audacious effort into the top corner to make it 6-0.