The Korea Herald

Spurs retain title hopes

LONDON (AP) ― Tottenham established itself as the likeliest challenger to the dominance of the Manchester clubs in the Premier League this season, beating Norwich 2-0 on Tuesday to tighten its grip on third place.A classy second-half double by winger Gareth Bale lifted Spurs to within seven points of City and United, with the London club still holding a game in hand ― at home to Everton next month.With fifth-place Arsenal drawing 1-1 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers to join fading title hopefu

Dec. 28, 2011

Asian soccer strengthens

Match-fixing, related suicides, corruption and other assorted controversies could not prevent 2011 from being overall a good year for Asian football, as the continent’s prominence in the global game continued to grow.The previous year ended with Qatar shocking the world by being awarded the 2022 World Cup and just a few days into 2011 the tiny nation was once again on center stage as it hosted the Asian Cup.Although most matches were played in half-empty stadiums, the football was of a relativel

Dec. 28, 2011

Lee Young-pyo criticizes coaching revolving door

Veteran football star Lee Young-pyo on Tuesday criticized football officials for lacking patience with national team coaches, offering his two cents on the controversial coaching change earlier this month.“There may be some misunderstanding and discord when you’re working for Korean football, but it’s all part of the process,” Lee told reporters. “Changing coaches too frequently is something we should all think hard about.”Lee was addressing the local press for the first time since he signed wit

Dec. 27, 2011

Lee Young-pyo criticizes coaching revolving door

Devilish rout

Berbatov nets 3; Park Ji-sung opens scoringLONDON (AP) ― Manchester United flourished as Manchester City floundered on Monday to wipe out its neighbor’s lead in the Premier League title race.City’s was left clinging to top spot on goal difference after its expensively assembled attacking unit failed to score in the league for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion.Injury-hit United took full advantage, with Dimitar Berbatov’s hat trick powering the champions to a second

Dec. 27, 2011

Man City’s Mancini issues festive warning

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has warned his Premier League leaders that they cannot afford to offer unexpected gifts on their travels over the festive season.City starts its final game of 2011 at West Bromwich Albion on Monday two points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United and on course for its first top-flight title in 44 years.But Alex Ferguson’s reigning champions will end the calendar year at the summit if they follow up victory over struggling Wigan on Monday with another t

Dec. 26, 2011

Fired football coach alleges outside pressure on player selection

The recently fired head coach of the national football team on Monday claimed to have come under pressure from senior officials in his player selection, an allegation promptly rejected by a high-ranking football executive.(Yonhap News)Cho Kwang-rae, dismissed earlier this month, said three senior of

Dec. 26, 2011

Fired football coach alleges outside pressure on player selection

United outshines City with 5-0 bashing of Fulham

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United managed the rare feat this season of outshining Manchester City’s goal-scoring prowess on Wednesday to keep the heat on its neighbor in the Premier League title race.While City maintained its two-point lead over United with a 3-0 victory over Stoke, its second-place rivals routed Fulham 5-0 at Craven Cottage.Such emphatic victories have been the norm for big-spending City this season, but for United it was the biggest in three months.“It was very impressive, we’ve

Dec. 22, 2011

Choi says will lead national soccer team till June 2013

Another year and another manager for South Korean football: The baton has now passed from Cho Kwang-rae to another local manager, Choi Kang-hee. But the newly appointed manager said Thursday that he is taking the helm of the national team only “temporarily.”“My contract will be until June 2013, and I want to go back to my club,” Choi said.The announcement came just two weeks after the football governing body fired former manager Cho.Speaking at a news conference at the Korean Football Associatio

Dec. 22, 2011

Choi says will lead national soccer team till June 2013

Liverpool’s star gets 8-match ban for racist remark

LONDON (AP) ― Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined $62,000 on Tuesday after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s black defender Patrice Evra.An English Football Association panel accepted Evra’s allegation that Suarez had directed a racial insult at him during United’s Premier League match at Liverpool on Oct. 15.“The insulting words used by Mr. Suarez included a reference to Mr. Evra’s colour,” the FA said in a statement, adding that the Liv

Dec. 21, 2011

Beckham deal with PSG not yet done

LONDON (AP) ― David Beckham’s management company says reports the former England captain has agreed a deal to join Paris Saint-Germain are “premature.”The 36-year-old former England captain has been in talks with the French capital club, but could still accept an offer to stay at the Los Angeles Galaxy where his five-year deal ended after winning his first MLS Cup last month. “No agreement has been reached with any club yet ― talks of a deal are premature,” Beckham’s management company, XIX Ente

Dec. 21, 2011

Choi Kang-hee named head coach of national soccer team

Choi Kang-hee of Jeonbuk Motors has been confirmed as the new Korean national team manager. Following a meeting of its technical committee, the Korea Football Association announced on Wednesday that the 52-year-old would lead the national team for the Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.The announcement came just two weeks after the football governing body fired former manager Cho Kwang-rae, citing his inability to control the team. Cho first came under fire following Korea’s humiliating 3-0

Dec. 21, 2011

Choi Kang-hee named head coach of national soccer team

Choi Kang-hee named new head coach for national football team

Choi Kang-hee, head coach for the reigning South Korean football champion, was named the new national team head coach Wednesday.Choi, 52, replaces Cho Kwang-rae, who was fired two weeks ago after South Korea fell 2-1 to Lebanon in the third round of the regional qualification for the 2014 FIFA World

Dec. 21, 2011

Choi Kang-hee named new head coach for national football team

Korea may name national soccer coach this week

South Korea could name its new national soccer head coach this week, the sport‘s top official said Tuesday.Cho Chung-yun, head of the Korea Football Association, said officials are working hard to fill the vacancy soon.“In regards to the naming of the head coach, there will be some good news this week,” Cho said. “It’s difficult to tell you about all the process, but we‘re doing our best.”Earlier this month, Cho Kwang-rae was abruptly dismissed as the national team bench boss, following Korea’s

Dec. 20, 2011

Talk on promotion system delayed

The nation’s first-division football league has postponed discussions for a promotion-relegation system until next year as the league’s have-nots opposed the idea, officials said Tuesday.The K-League board of directors on Tuesday failed to reach a conclusion on adopting promotion-relegation starting in 2013 and will try to do so in January, officials said. Under the league proposal, 12 of K-League’s 16 teams at the end of each season will stay in the first division, while the four worst teams wi

Dec. 20, 2011

Ki Sung-yueng, Ji So-yun named top players

Ki Sung-yueng of Celtic FC in Scotland and Ji So-yun of Kobe INAC in Japan were named Korea’s soccer players of the year on Tuesday.In a vote by 20 football journalists and eight technical officials at the Korea Football Association, Ki earned 67.5 points to edge out Lee Dong-gook, the reigning MVP in the domestic K-League, who earned 65 points, for the men’s award.Votes from journalists and KFA officials combined to select the top players. Ki, 22, has long been a fixture in the midfield for Sou

Dec. 20, 2011

In search of a soccer leader

Challenges lurk in finding right man for national teamTime is almost up, but Korean football’s governing body is still struggling to find the right candidate to lead the national football team.The Korea Football Association announced earlier this month that it would appoint a new manager before the end of 2011 following its dismissal of Cho Kwang-rae.The KFA noted that the national team’s future for the 2014 World Cup is uncertain under the guidance of Cho, who is now criticizing the authority f

Dec. 19, 2011

Chelsea settles for 1-1 draw

Ronaldo bags hat trick as Real routs SevillaLONDON (AP) ― Chelsea missed a chance to put pressure on the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, yielding a goal with two minutes left in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Wigan.Chelsea looked on course for a fourth straight Premier League victory when Daniel Sturridge scored his eighth goal of the season in the 59th minute. But Wigan dominated the second half and Jordi Gomez tapped in from close range after a mistake b

Dec. 18, 2011

Madrid beats Ponferradina 2-0 in Cup

BARCELONA (AP) ― Real Madrid rebounded from last weekend’s league loss to Barcelona by defeating third-tier Ponferradina 2-0 Tuesday night in the Copa del Rey on goals by Jose Callejon and Cristiano Ronaldo.On a rainy night before 8,500 fans at Ponferradina, Callejon scored in the 29th minute when he redirected Sami Khedira’s bouncing cross into the net. Ronaldo, criticized for his poor play in Saturday’s 3-1 loss, doubled the lead in the 74th when he ran onto Gonzalo Higuain’s pass and shot und

Dec. 14, 2011

Korea to consider hiring foreign coach

South Korea will actively consider hiring a foreign national to lead its football team, a senior official said Tuesday.Hwangbo Kwan, head of the technical committee at the Korea Football Association, said the vacant job is open for coaches from home and overseas, but officials will have “some concrete discussions” on foreign candidates.“We’re going to look at different names,” Hwangbo said following a meeting of his committee at the National Football Center here, north of Seoul. “But a lot of ou

Dec. 13, 2011

Chelsea ends Man City’s unbeaten run in EPL

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City won’t be running away with the English Premier League. City’s 17-game league unbeaten streak ended as Frank Lampard converted a late penalty kick that lifted Chelsea to a 2-1 victory Monday night.“Chelsea were really lucky in this game,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “We are disappointed with this defeat but we have time to recover.”Mario Balotelli put the visitors ahead after 105 seconds, but Raul Meireles tied it in the 34th minute.Lampard replaced Meireles i

Dec. 13, 2011

Chelsea ends Man City’s unbeaten run in EPL