The Korea Herald

Asian Cup glory in sight

There were few surprises as South Korea on Monday announced its 23-man roster for the AFC Asian Cup, the continent’s largest soccer tournament scheduled to kick off next month in Australia.Head coach Uli Stielike, who once said he could make some picks that could catch people off guard, instead took the safer route, assigning some familiar faces the task of ending South Korea’s 55-year drought at the Asian Cup.There will be 16 nations at the Asian Cup, divided into four groups of four. South Kor

SoccerDec. 22, 2014

Liverpool draws with Arsenal

LONDON (AP) ― Liverpool is starting to produce the kind of fluid attacking that led to a second-place finish in the English Premier League last season. Now the Reds need a striker to finish their chances.Liverpool outplayed Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday, yet needed a goal deep into stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw. Arsenal is four points behind in qualifying for the Champions League. Liverpool is nine points from the top four with almost half the season gone.The rest of Europe’s leagues are cl

SoccerDec. 22, 2014

Surprise pick for Asian Cup football tourney shocked at his own selection

When the South Korean men's football team for the AFC Asian Cup tournament was unveiled on Monday, Lee Jeong-hyeop, a virtually unknown forward, was easily the biggest surprise.Hours after the announcement, the 23-year-old player for the domestic military club Sangju Sangmu said he was taken aback by the news himself."I am going to do my best to fulfill my responsibility," Lee said.Head coach Uli Stielike chose the unproven Lee, who has yet to play in an international match, in favor of veteran

SoccerDec. 22, 2014

Injuries, inconsistency cost World Cup members spots on Asian Cup squad

Injuries and inconsistent performances have proven costly for veterans of the South Korean World Cup squad, as they were left off the 23-man roster for the AFC Asian Cup announced on Monday.Head coach Uli Stielike unveiled the squad for the Jan. 9-31 continental tournament at a press conference. Of the 23, 12 players had also represented the country at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in June, when the country stumbled to a draw and two losses for a quick exit.Stielike made a surprise selection on o

SoccerDec. 22, 2014

Expansion KBO club KT Wiz sign veteran pitcher Chris Oxspring

South Korean expansion baseball club KT Wiz announced Monday they've signed right-hander Chris Oxspring.The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team said they acquired the 37-year-old right-hander for US$350,000, a figure that includes a signing bonus.Oxspring will now be pitching for his third KBO club. He first pitched for the LG Twins in 2007 and 2008, and then returned to South Korea to join the Lotte Giants, for whom he'd pitched the past two seasons.The Giants made him a free agent after the

BaseballDec. 22, 2014

Few surprises as S. Korea announces roster for Asian Cup football tourney

There were few surprises as South Korea on Monday announced its 23-man roster for the AFC Asian Cup, the continent's largest football tournament scheduled to kick off next month in Australia.Head coach Uli Stielike, who once said he could make some picks that could catch people off guard, instead took the safer route, assigning some familiar faces the task of ending South Korea's 55-year drought at the Asian Cup.There will be 16 nations at the Asian Cup, divided into four groups of four. South K

SoccerDec. 22, 2014

Real Madrid win Club World Cup

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) ― Real Madrid outclassed San Lorenzo of Argentina 2-0 in the Club World Cup final on Saturday to put a crown on its status as the best club in world football.The cup added to Madrid’s 2014 trophy haul of Champions League, Copa del Rey, and European Super Cup, and it will carry a 22-game winning streak into 2015.Sergio Ramos made the breakthrough, leaping up and heading in Toni Kroos’ sweetly stuck corner after 37 minutes. Ramos also got Madrid off the mark in its 4-0 vict

SoccerDec. 21, 2014

Silva strikes as City climbs alongside Chelsea

LONDON (AP) ― David Silva scored twice as defending champion Manchester City continued to fight for its title, beating Crystal Palace 3-0 Saturday to draw level provisionally with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.Playing without a recognized striker, City reeled off its sixth league win in succession and eighth in all competitions, one short of equaling the club record.It was a performance that made clear Chelsea faces a mounting challenge to stay on top as the league heads into its trad

SoccerDec. 21, 2014

Silva strikes as City climbs alongside Chelsea

Blatter: ‘Earthquake’ needed to change World Cup hosts

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AFP) ― FIFA will release an “appropriate” version of a report into alleged corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups but president Sepp Blatter on Friday ruled out moving the tournaments from Russia and Qatar.The wealthy Gulf state of Qatar has faced a storm of controversy over its successful bid for the 2022 tournament. But Blatter said: “It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements to go back on this World Cup in Qatar.”The president of foo

SoccerDec. 21, 2014

Blatter: ‘Earthquake’ needed to change World Cup hosts

Kang Jung-ho aims to ‘shatter stereotypes’ of Asians in big leagues

South Korean shortstop Kang Jung-ho, about to enter contract talks with a Major League Baseball club, said Sunday he wants to “shatter stereotypes” about Asian position players in the big leagues.Kang met the local media for the first time since his Korea Baseball Organization club, the Nexen Heroes, accepted a $5 million bid for the posted shortstop a day earlier. Though the identity of the bid winner has not been disclosed, the team will have exclusive rights to negotiate a contract with Kang

BaseballDec. 21, 2014

Kang Jung-ho aims to ‘shatter stereotypes’ of Asians in big leagues

Shortstop Kang Jung-ho wants to 'shatter stereotypes' of Asian position players in MLB

South Korean shortstop Kang Jung-ho, about to enter contract talks with a Major League Baseball (MLB) club, said Sunday he wants to "shatter stereotypes" about Asian position players in the big leagues.Kang met the local media for the first time since his Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club, the Nexen Heroes, accepted a US$5 million bid for the posted shortstop a day earlier. Though the identity of the bid winner has not been disclosed, the team will have exclusive rights to negotiate a contr

BaseballDec. 21, 2014

Two S. Koreans grab gold medals at ISU World Cup on home ice

Two South Koreans grabbed gold medals at the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track Speed Skating World Cup competition on home ice on Saturday.Sin Da-woon captured the men's 1,500ｍ race, while Choi Min-jeong took the women's 3,000ｍ title at the fourth leg of the World Cup series at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul.Sin has won four individual gold medals so far in the ongoing World Cup season, along with two relay titles. For Choi, a 16-year-old in her first senior season, it was her thi

SportsDec. 21, 2014

Nexen Heroes accept US$5 mln posting bid for shortstop Kang Jung-ho

The South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes on Saturday said they have accepted a US$5 million bid by a Major League Baseball (MLB) club for their posted shortstop Kang Jung-ho, clearing the path for the slugger to play in the big leagues next season.The Heroes made the decision just hours after the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) informed them of the result of the MLB-wide silent auction for the 27-year-old player. The Heroes said the amount of the winning bid was $5,002,015.Kang is the third

BaseballDec. 20, 2014

New kind of game

If one ripple from the thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations means baseball prospects get off the island and into the major leagues without payoffs to smugglers and threats from kidnappers, it’s hard to see the downside.Just don’t expect too much, too soon. Barely two hours after President Barack Obama’s dramatic announcement Wednesday in Washington, both MLB and its players’ union acknowledged as much in statements.“We will keep our clubs informed if this different direction may impact the manner in whic

BaseballDec. 19, 2014

Rondo heads to Mavs

BOSTON (AP) ― The Celtics traded point guard Rajon Rondo to Dallas on Thursday night, cutting ties with the last remnant of Boston’s last NBA championship while giving Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks a chance at another title.The Celtics will send Rondo and forward Dwight Powell to Dallas for Jae Crowder, Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson and two draft picks, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trade was not official yet. New M

More SportsDec. 19, 2014

Federation says refs prone to wrong calls

The national professional football federation on Friday said referees in its top competition made incorrect calls in one in every seven matches in the 2014 season, adding that the guilty officials were all punished for their mishaps.The K League said referees made wrong calls in 33 out of 225 matches this past season in the K League Classic, unveiling for the first time the exact number of matches marred by poor officiating.The league said of those 33, referees had made bad calls on awarding pen

SoccerDec. 19, 2014

FIFA meets amid crisis over Garcia’s resignation

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) ― Amid another crisis at FIFA, president Sepp Blatter and his executive committee opened a two-day meeting Thursday to discuss the sudden resignation of ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia and whether to publish his confidential World Cup report.Garcia quit Wednesday in protest over the handling of his World Cup bid investigation. The American lawyer’s departure could increase pressure on FIFA to publish the 430-page report on the 2010 votes that awarded the World Cup to Rus

SoccerDec. 19, 2014

Garcia resigns as FIFA prosecutor

GENEVA (AP) ― The American lawyer who led the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process resigned from the FIFA ethics committee on Wednesday in protest over the handling of his findings.Michael Garcia cited a “lack of leadership” at the top of FIFA in a resignation statement. He also said he has lost confidence in the independence of his ethics committee colleague, German judge Joachim Eckert. Though Garcia did not identify Sepp Blatter by name, he also revealed that the FIFA ex

SoccerDec. 18, 2014

Korea to take on Saudi in final tune-up before Asian Cup

South Korea will take on Saudi Arabia in its final tune-up match before the AFC Asian Cup football tournament next month, officials said Thursday.The 2015 Asian Cup will kick off Jan. 9 in Australia. The Korea Football Association said South Korea will play Saudi Arabia on Jan. 4 in Sydney, six days before its first group stage match against Oman.Seeking its first Asian Cup since 1960, South Korea has drawn Australia, Oman and Kuwait in Group A.“We’re still trying to settle on the venue and the

SoccerDec. 18, 2014

Kang seeking at least $5m per season in multiyear big league deal

The posted South Korean shortstop Kang Jung-ho is seeking a multiyear contract from a big league club worth at least $5 million per season, an informed industry source told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.Kang, currently with the Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization, was posted for Major League Baseball clubs earlier in the week. The source, privy to player transactions in the big leagues, said Kang’s veteran agent, Alan Nero, has let teams know of specific figures he’s hoping to get f

BaseballDec. 18, 2014

Kang seeking at least $5m per season in multiyear big league deal