Striker Han Duan scored a hat trick as China thrashed Thailand 7-0 in the preliminary round of women's soccer event at the Asian Games on Thursday.

Center back Yuan Fan contributed two goals in the easy game.

Han Duan (L) of China fights for the ball with a footballer of Thailand during their Asian Games Group A soccer match in Doha November 30, 2006.[Xinhua]

China's head coach Ma Liangxing put ace player Ma Xiaoxu, newly-crowned AFC (Asian Football Association) Women's Player of the Year and Youth Player of the Year, on the bench for 73 minutes during the game.

China got a flying start on three minutes when defender Wang Kun headed home a fine right flank cross. Han Duan made three fine finishings, and Yuan Fan added another to help China lead 5-0 in the first half.

Yuan Fan drove home from a melee inside Thailand's box in the 53rd minute. Substitute Wang Dandan made it seven with a half-volley.

Thailand displayed some quality in short passes and organized defence, but had to taste the failure in front of a much stronger Chinese side.

South Korea clinched a hard fought victory with classy individual performances by prodigy Ji So Yun.

Ji made a superb solo run to dribble past three defenders and round the fourth before firing a fine shot into the net on 15 minutes.

The 15-year-old showed her class in the first half with several pitch-long runs to frustrate their opponents.

Chinese Taipei reacted with a string of counter-attacks and good ball possession, but their efforts always ended by the Koreans' defenders outside the box.

Ji So Yun doubled the advantage for South Korea in the 67th minute with a smart show in the area, feigning a defender and the keeper to tap the ball into the open net following a lob from midfielder Sun Nam Shin.

In Thursday's other matches, Japan defeated Jordan 13-0; DPR Korea pounced Vietnam 5-0.