Pro football league to discuss postponing season amid coronavirus scare

Faced with the fast-spreading coronavirus, the South Korean professional football league will convene an emergency board meeting later Monday to discuss postponing the start of the new season. The K League announced the meeting will begin at 2 p.m. at its Seoul headquarters. The 2020 season is scheduled to open Saturday with two matches, followed by two more on Sunday. But that could change, as the K League joins several other sports organizations in South Korea grappling with the deadly COVID

Feb. 24, 2020

Ex-S. Korea captain Ki Sung-yueng leaves for Spain to finalize talks with top-division club

INCHEON -- Former South Korean men's football captain Ki Sung-yueng departed for Spain on Friday to finalize talks with a top-flight club there, looking to continue his pro career in Europe after negotiations with domestic teams fell through. The 31-year-old midfielder left Newcastle United on Jan. 31 by what the Premier League club called "mutual consent." His last Premier League appearance came in September 2019. Afterward, Ki sought a return to the K League 1, where he began his

Feb. 21, 2020

Pro football matches in southeastern region postponed due to coronavirus

Upcoming professional football matches in South Korea's southeastern region have been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus. The K League announced Friday that the Feb. 29 home opener for Daegu FC in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and the March 1 home match for Pohang Steelers in Pohang, about 80 kilometers east of Daegu, have been pushed back. They will be played either later in March or in June.   The decision was reached at a meeting of league executives and

Feb. 21, 2020

Son Heung-min to undergo surgery on broken forearm on Friday: source

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min will undergo operation on his broken right forearm in Seoul on Friday. A source close to the player told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday that Son was admitted to a Seoul hospital earlier in the day, and the surgery has been scheduled for Friday. Son suffered the fracture to the radius in the forearm during a Premier League match against Aston Villa last weekend. Son apparently suffered the injury when he landed hard on the right arm follow

Feb. 20, 2020

Mourinho sees no bright side for Spurs without Son and Kane

LONDON (AFP) -- Jose Mourinho fears his side's season is running out of gas after an injury-hit Spurs slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Spurs could be without the talismanic duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the rest of the season through injury and looked toothless against the Bundesliga contenders.  "We are in a very difficult situation," said Mourinho. "What worries me is this is going to be the

Feb. 20, 2020

Spurs left hanging by Son's injury: Mourinho

LONDON (AFP) -- Jose Mourinho has compared Tottenham's hopes of having a positive end to the season to hanging from the balcony of a fourth-floor building after losing Son Heung-min to injury. Already without Harry Kane for much of the remainder of the campaign, Mourinho said he does not expect Son to feature again this season after the South Korean fractured his right arm in Sunday's 3-2 win at Aston Villa. Spurs host German side RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16

Feb. 19, 2020

Son strikes late to edge Spurs past Villa in five-goal thriller

BIRMINGHAM (AFP) -- Son Heung-min struck deep into stoppage time as Tottenham's chances of Champions League football next season were boosted by a 3-2 win at Aston Villa on Sunday. A third consecutive Premier League victory lifts Spurs up to fifth -- which could be enough to secure Champions League qualification with Manchester City facing a two-season ban from the competition -- and within one point of fourth-placed Chelsea. Jose Mourinho's men were worthy of their victory after bouncing bac

Feb. 17, 2020

New kits for nat'l football teams unveiled

New uniforms for the South Korean national football teams were released on Thursday, featuring designs inspired by the global popularity of the country's pop culture and by a mythological guardian animal. Nike unveiled the new home and away kits for South Korea, with hallyu, or the Korean wave, the phenomenon of Korean culture's popularity, at the forefront. The home kit is highlighted by a wavy pattern made up of the trigrams from the South Korean national flag, Taegeukgi. The trigrams are a

Feb. 6, 2020

Son Heung-min stays hot, scores in 4th straight

Son Heung-min has done it again. The in-form South Korean star for Tottenham Hotspur scored in his fourth straight match, converting a late penalty to take his club over Southampton 3-2 in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday (local time) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. With his monthslong drought a distant memory, Son now has 14 goals in 31 matches this season in all competitions. Tottenham took the first-half lead on Jack Stephens' own goal, but Shane Long and Danny Ings sco

Feb. 6, 2020

Tottenham weather Man City storm to snatch win

LONDON (AFP) -- Steven Bergwijn's debut goal helped Tottenham to a remarkable 2-0 win over 10-man Manchester City on Sunday to breathe new life into their challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Jose Mourinho's men had been completely outplayed for the first hour, but were kept in the game by City's profligacy and Hugo Lloris's first-half penalty save from Ilkay Gundogan. However, Oleksandr Zinchenko's sending off changed the course of the game as Spurs scored with their first

Feb. 3, 2020

S. Korean captain to miss Olympic women's football qualifiers with injury

South Korean captain Cho So-hyun will miss the Olympic women's football qualifying tournament this week with an ankle injury. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Cho has suffered a right ankle sprain and will not compete in the third round in the Asian qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Coached by Englishman Colin Bell, South Korea will host Myanmar at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, the southern resort island of Jeju, at 7 p.m. Monday to kick off Group A action. South Korea wi

Feb. 2, 2020

Men's Olympic football team gets hero's welcome after clinching Tokyo 2020 berth

INCHEON -- The South Korean men's Olympic football team made a triumphant return home from Thailand on Tuesday after capturing a spot in this year's Summer Games in Tokyo. Coached by Kim Hak-bum, South Korea won the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship over Saudi Arabia on Sunday in Bangkok. The AFC event was also the Asian qualifying tournament for Tokyo 2020, and the top three countries earned their tickets to the Olympics. Both South Korea and Saudi Arabia had bagged theirs

Jan. 28, 2020

Extra!: S. Korea beat Saudi Arabia in extra time to take Asian U-23 football crown

South Korea defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 in extra time to capture their first Asian men's football title in the under-23 age group on Sunday. Defender Jeong Tae-wook headed in the winner in the 113th minute in the final of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, breaking a deadlock after the two sides had fired blanks. This was the fourth edition of the biennial tournament, and the first title won by South Korea, who had one runner-up finish sandwich

Jan. 27, 2020

On cloud nine: S. Korea advance to 9th straight Olympic men's football tournament

 RANGSIT -- South Korea reached cloud nine on Wednesday, as they made it to their ninth consecutive Olympic men's football tournament.The young Taeguk Warriors shut down Australia 2-0 in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship in Thailand. This AFC event doubles as the regional qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the top three teams from here will be competing in Japn this summer. With Wednesday's win, South Korea assured themselves a sp

Jan. 23, 2020

Son rises again: Tottenham's Son Heung-min ends 7-match scoring drought in win

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has ended his seven-match goalless drought, while scoring for the first time in 2020 in the process.Son headed in the 79th-minute winner in the Spurs' 2-1 victory over Norwich City in the Premier League contest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Tuesday (local time). It was Son's first score since the jaw-dropping wonder goal against Burnley in the Premier League on Dec. 7. He had gone scoreless in his past four Premier League matches, one UEFA Champions

Jan. 23, 2020

S. Korea defeat Jordan to move closer to Olympic men's football berth

South Korea got past Jordan 2-1 on Sunday to move within one victory of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic men's football tournament.Midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong scored a gorgeous free kick to break a 1-1 tie in the dying seconds, giving South Korea a narrow win in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand. This AFC event is also the qualifying competition for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the top three nations here advanci

Jan. 19, 2020

S. Korea beats Uzbekistan to win group at Olympic football qualifying tournament

RANGSIT, Thailand -- South Korea defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 to take the top seed in their group at the Olympic men‘s football qualifying tournament on Wednesday.Forward Oh Se-hun celebrated his 21st birthday with a two-goal performance, helping South Korea to their third straight victory in Group C at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand.The AFC tournament doubles as the Asian qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the

Jan. 15, 2020

Son Heung-min's wonder strike voted top goal for Dec. in Premier League

Son Heung-min's mesmerizing solo strike for Tottenham Hotspur against Burnley has been voted the best goal for December in the Premier League.The English league announced Friday (local time) that Son earned his second career Goal of the Month award for his dazzling effort. His goal was chosen by a panel of experts, combined with a public vote.On Dec. 7 against Burnley at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Son secured the ball at the edge of his own penalty box to begin his dash. Son zipped pas

Jan. 11, 2020

Reigning S. Korean football MVP rejoins league champions

Midfielder Kim Bo-kyung, the 2019 South Korean pro football MVP, couldn't beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for the league title last year. So he's joining them this year.Fresh off their third consecutive K League 1 championship, Jeonbuk announced on Sunday they're bringing back the playmaking midfielder after two seasons away. Financial terms were not disclosed.Kim, 30, spent the 2019 season with Ulsan Hyundai FC, on a one-year loan from his original club in Japan, Kashiwa Reysol. The former Premier

Jan. 5, 2020

S. Korea to be without Europe-based youngsters for Olympic football qualifiers

South Korea will not have the services of a pair of Europe-based players for the upcoming Olympic men's football qualifying tournament.The Korea Football Association announced Monday that Valencia CF midfielder Lee Kang-in and SV Darmstadt 98 midfielder Paik Seung-ho will not be available for the under-23 national team for the 2020 Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship, which will run from Jan. 8-26 in Thailand. This event will also serve as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2020

Dec. 30, 2019