South Korea pounded Fiji 8-0 for a rousing start to the Rio de Janeiro Olympic football tournament on Thursday.

Midfielder Ryu Seung-woo picked up the first hat trick in South Korean Olympic history, while midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon and forward Suk Hyun-jun each grabbed a brace in Group C action at Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador, some 1,600 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro. Seven of the eight goals came in the second half.

It was the most goals ever scored by South Korea in an Olympic football match. The previous record was five against Mexico at the 1948 London Olympics.

South Korea will next face Germany on Sunday at the same venue, before traveling to Brasilia, some 1,200 kilometers northwest of Rio, to play Mexico next Wednesday. South Korea are leading Group C, with Germany and Mexico ending in a 2-2 draw earlier Thursday.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will reach the quarterfinals.

South Korea are in their eighth consecutive Olympics and are gunning for their second straight medal, after earning bronze in London four years ago.

Fiji entered the match as the heavy underdogs and looked the part early on. South Korea dominated possession from the opening whistle, with forward Hwang Hee-chan and wingback Lee Seul-chan taking shots in the first five minutes.

South Korea then went through a cold spell, their possession not leading to any dangerous opportunity. Midfielder Moon Chang-jin fired a weak shot right into goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau in the 24th, and winger Kwon Chang-hoon jumped on a loose ball from the top of the box in the 30th, only to hit the side of the net.

Moon got a header off in the 31st from point-blank range, but Tamanisau made a spectacular diving save to keep it a scoreless affair.

The drought finally ended for South Korea in the next minute.

Kwon sent a long cross from right that landed on the chest of Ryu Seung-woo, who deftly controlled the ball and poked it past Tamanisau as he fell down.

Ryu was again in the thick of things in the 38th. He was brought down by Filipe Baravilala in the Fiji box, and Moon stepped up to take the penalty.

Unable to buy a break all match, Moon struck the left post with his shot. The rebound went right to Ryu, who fired it well wide of the net.

South Korea outshot Fiji 15-2 in the first half. Fiji showed a bit more lift to open the latter half, but Ryu put another shot on net for South Korea in the 52nd.

South Korea would have doubled the lead two minutes later, but Tamanisau made a brilliant stop on streaking striker Hwang Hee-chan in the 54th. The Fiji goalkeeper stood on his head again five minutes later, denying Ryu's shot fired from the left side of the box.

Tamanisau's magic ran out soon, however, as South Korea went off for three goals in less than two minutes.

Kwon converted a fine feed from Moon for his first of the night in the 62nd. In the next minute, Kwon was at it again, this time assisted by Ryu.

Ryu then got in on the act seconds later to make it 4-0.

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min, who came off the bench in the 69th, converted a penalty in the 72nd minute for a 5-0 lead, after Ryu took a knee to the face in a battle for the loose ball in the area.

South Korea weren’t done. In the 77th, Ryu was denied a hat trick by Tamanisau, but a big rebound went right to FC Porto forward Suk Hyun-jun, who struck it home for a 7-0 advantage.

Fiji barely put up a fight, though Roy Krishna curled one wide of the far post in the 76th for Fiji's first and only dangerous chance.

Suk headed in a corner kick in the 90th minute, and Ryu completed his trick to round out the scoring just before the final whistle.

In the earlier Group C match Thursday at Fonte Nova Arena, Germany and Mexico ended in a 2-2 draw.

After a scoreless opening half, the teams traded three goals in an 11-minute span early in the second half.

Oribe Peralta put Mexico on the board in the 52nd minute. Serge Gnabry drew Germany even just six minutes later, only to see Mexico take a 2-1 lead on Rodolfo Pizarro's score in the 63rd.

Matthias Ginter then headed in the equalizer in the 78th, as Germany held the defending Olympic champion to a draw. (Yonhap)