Asian Games 2026: Men’s water polo team win penalty shootout to beat South Korea in group stage

Singapore beat South Korea in a penalty shootout in the men's water polo competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Photo: SpexSG/Chanainut Thongratanachat

The men’s water polo team held their nerve remarkably to triumph over South Korea at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games after winning a penalty shootout 4-2 on 27 Sep. 

In doing so, the Singapore men recovered brilliantly from an 8-19 defeat to Iran the previous day to win their first match of these Games. 

South Korea had entered on a high after starting their campaign with a first-ever victory over reigning silver medallists China. But Singapore made a strong start at the Nagoya General Gymnasium’s Rainbow Pool, surging ahead after a 3-3 first quarter to take an 8-4 lead at half-time. South Korea narrowed the gap to one goal in the third quarter, continuing to press the SEA Games champions to tie the score at 14-14 at the end of regulation time. A steady showing in the penalty shootout sealed the win for Singapore. 

Men's water polo captain Sanjiv Rajandra was among the penalty takers during Singapore's defeat of South Korea in their Group B match on 27 Sep at the Asian Games. Photo: SpexSG/Chanainut Thongratanachat

The Republic’s four goals in the penalty shootout were delivered by players making their first Asiad appearance – captain Sanjiv Rajandra, Isaac Lee, and teenagers Matthias Goh and Chow Yong Jun, who were part of the Under-18 team that clinched a historic Asian Championships victory earlier this year.  

Rajandra credited goalkeepers Darren Lee and Ken Chou for boosting the team's confidence in the penalty shootout.

"Ken saving Korea’s first penalty immediately gave us a huge boost, and with Korea missing their second attempt, it helped take some of the pressure off our shooters," said the 24-year-old.

"I took our first penalty, and seeing Ken make that save just before I stepped up definitely gave me confidence. I think that energy carried through the rest of the team. From there, everyone stayed composed, trusted themselves and focused on executing their own penalty. In a shootout, there is always going to be pressure, but I thought the team handled the moment really well." 

Singapore will face China in their last Group B match on 28 Sep, with the classification and knock-out rounds to follow.

Rajandra added: "I think this win is a big boost for us, especially after the disappointment of yesterday. More importantly, it showed that we were able to respond as a team, make the necessary adjustments and perform under pressure.

"Winning against Korea, especially in a penalty shootout, gives us confidence that we can stay composed and compete in difficult situations. At the same time, we know that one win doesn’t change what we need to do moving forward. We’ll take the positives from today, continue working on the areas we can improve, and carry this momentum into the next game."

The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.