S. Korean women's football team to face Iceland, Sweden in World Cup tuneup matches

South Korea will play against Iceland and Sweden to prepare for the FIFA Women's World Cup, the national football governing body said Thursday.The Korea Football Association said the women's football team will play two friendly matches with Iceland at home in April and will take on Sweden on the road in May before entering the Women's World Cup, where South Korea is in Group A with Norway, Nigeria and hosts France.The Taeguk Ladies, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, will first welcome No. 22 Ice

March 14, 2019

Gyeongnam FC held to 2-2 draw by Shandong in ACL debut

South Korea’s Gyeongnam FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Chinese side Shandong Luneng in their Asian competition debut on Tuesday. Shandong’s Italian striker Graziano Pelle scored twice to deny Gyeongnam a win in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Group E opening match at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul.Gyeongnam, founded in 2006, qualified for the AFC Champions League after they finished second in the K League 1, South Korea’s top div

March 5, 2019

Ex-Premier Leaguers go head-to-head in their ACL debut

Two former English Premier League (EPL) stars went head-to-head in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League debut here on Tuesday. Jordon Mutch of Gyeongnam FC and Marouane Fellaini of Shandong Luneng FC made their Asian debut at Changwon Football Stadium in Changwon, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul, in their clubs’ Group E opener that ended in a 2-2 draw.Both players joined East Asian clubs this winter after having stints in the EPL. Mutch was a surprise signing from Gyeongn

March 5, 2019

FC Seoul head coach vows to restore club's reputation in 2019

FC Seoul head coach Choi Yong-soo said Thursday his goal for the 2019 season is to restore his club's reputation.FC Seoul, six-time K League 1 champions, barely avoided relegation to the second division last year. After finishing 11th, they beat K League 2 club Busan IPark in a playoff to remain in the top flight of South Korean football.Choi, who rejoined Seoul in October following a seasonlong stint with Chinese side Jiangsu Suning, did manage to save his old club from relegation, but the perf

Feb. 21, 2019

Son Heung-min extends scoring streak to 4 matches

The South Korean "Son" is still shining brightly over London.Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min netted the opening goal in the team's 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the round of 16 at the UEFA Champions League at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time). Son has now scored in four consecutive matches, with his three previous goals having come in his last three English Premier League contests.(Yonhap)Son's score in the 47th minute stood as the eventual winner, wi

Feb. 14, 2019

Tottenham's Son Heung-min on fire after Asian Cup

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min has extended his scoring streak to three matches in the English Premier League since returning from his international duty. Son sealed Tottenham's 3-1 win over Leicester City at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday (local time) with his goal in the second-half extra time. It was his 11th goal in the league this season. The 26-year-old also has four goals from domestic cup competitions. With his latest performance, Son has extended his s

Feb. 11, 2019

S. Korea soar in FIFA rankings despite early Asian Cup elimination

South Korea took a huge leap in the latest FIFA rankings released Thursday, despite their early elimination from a recent continental competition.South Korea jumped 15 spots to tie for 38th place with Iceland. FIFA president Gianni Infantino (left) delivers a speech during the 43rd Ordinary UEFA Congress on February 7, 2019 in Rome. (Yonhap)Coached by Paulo Bento, South Korea fell to Qatar 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates la

Feb. 7, 2019

S. Korea football coach tasked with filling void of veteran midfielders

South Korea national football team head coach Paulo Bento has many things to deal with after a disappointing elimination at the 2019 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, but one specific task will be to fill the void left by two veteran midfielders who decided to end their international careers last month.After South Korea’s quarterfinals exit at the Asian Cup, Ki Sung-yueng and Koo Ja-cheol announced they will no longer play for the Taeguk Warriors after more than 10 years of service.Ki, 30,

Feb. 4, 2019

Ki Sung-yueng announces retirement from S. Korean nat'l football team

South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng on Wednesday announced his retirement from international football, ending his 11-year career with the national team.(Yonhap)In a letter sent to the Korea Football Association (KFA), Ki made it official that he will no longer play for South Korea."With the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup being my last event, I'm laying down the big honor and responsibility of the national team," Ki said in his letter to the KFA. "In my football career, the n

Jan. 30, 2019

Vietnam's Korean football coach says his side had lucky run at Asian Cup

Vietnam national football team head coach Park Hang-seo said Tuesday his side had a lucky run at the continental tournament in the United Arab Emirates.Park returned to his homeland South Korea for a vacation with his family after leading Vietnam at the 2019 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup."After a series of international tournaments, I felt tired," Park told reporters at Incheon International Airport in Incheon. "But we're off to a good start in 2019." Park Hang-seo (Yonhap)Park's Vietna

Jan. 29, 2019

[Asian Cup] Son Heung-min admits to running on fumes in loss

Son Heung-min was supposed to be South Korea's savior, but the usually reliable attacking ace couldn't come to the rescue on Friday, as South Korea bowed out of the quarterfinals at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.    Following his team's 1-0 loss to Qatar in Abu Dhabi, Son admitted to running on fumes.    "I wasn't properly prepared. I was physically drained," Son told reporters at Zayed Sports City Stadium. "I am sorry that I disappointed my teammates, coaches and fans with th

Jan. 26, 2019

[Asian Cup] S. Korea fall to Qatar in quarterfinals

ABU DHABI -- South Korea crashed out of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in the quarterfinals on Friday with a 1-0 loss to Qatar.    Abdelaziz Hatim's goal in the 78th minute was all Qatar needed to shock South Korea at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, as the Taeguk Warriors' 59-year Asian Cup title drought will continue for at least another four years. (Yonhap)    This was South Korea's first loss of the tournament and also the first under head coach Paulo Bento, who had

Jan. 26, 2019

Korea advance to quarterfinals with win over Bahrain

South Korea reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Bahrain in extra time.Fullback Kim Jin-su headed in the winner 17 minutes into extra time for his first international goal at Rashid Stadium in Dubai, as South Korea dodged a bullet and moved closer to ending their 59-year title drought at the continental competition.In Friday's quarterfinals, South Korea will play the winner of the final round of 16 match between Qatar and Ir

Jan. 23, 2019

Injured midfielder returns to full practice for S. Korea

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- South Korea finally received some good news on the injury front at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup on Friday, with the return of a key midfielder to practice.Ki Sung-yueng was a full participant in Friday’s practice at NAS Sports Complex in Dubai, where South Korea are gearing up for their round of 16 match against Bahrain next Tuesday. Ki Sung-yeung (Yonhap)Ki, the savvy field general for the Taekguk Warriors, had been sidelined for 11 days with a hamst

Jan. 18, 2019

24 municipalities apply to host new football training center

Two dozen municipalities have entered the bidding war for the new national football training center, the sport's governing body said Friday.The Korea Football Association plans to open a new National Football Center in 2023, amid increasing demand for the existing NFC in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, just north of Seoul.In addition to serving as the major training ground for national teams in all age groups, the NFC, which opened in 2001, also hosts seminars for coaches and referees. This file photo

Jan. 11, 2019

S. Korean footballer Kwon Chang-hoon scores 1st goal of season in France

South Korean football star Kwon Chang-hoon has scored his first goal of the season in France following his long-awaited return from injury. Kwon, an attacking midfielder for French League 1 club Dijon FCO, scored his side's second goal in their 3-1 win over fourth-tier club SC Schiltigheim in a French Cup round of 64 match at the Stade de l'Aar in Schiltigheim, France, on Saturday (local time).  (Yonhap)With Djion leading 1-0, Kwon fired a left-footed strike in the 72nd minute to help his side r

Jan. 6, 2019

Winning continental tournament tops New Year's wish list for S.Korea football coach

When the New Year dawns, Paulo Bento, head coach for South Korean men's national football team, will be neither in his native Portugal nor in his adopted country to celebrate the occasion.The 49-year-old coach will be hard at work here in Abu Dhabi, where South Korea are preparing for the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup kicking off in a few days across the United Arab Emirates. The buildup will include a friendly against Saudi Arabia, which starts at 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, Seoul time.

Dec. 31, 2018

S. Korean soccer sees tears, gold in roller-coaster 2018 season

South Korean soccer experienced yet another roller-coaster ride this year as it saw tears, gold and a coaching change under fans’ big expectations. 　The 2018 season is technically not finished for the South Korean men’s national soccer team as it awaits a friendly match against Saudi Arabia in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Still, the Taeguk Warriors went through enough competitions this year to give fans a full plate of ups and downs.　South Korea began this year with tuneup matches for the 2018 FIFA Worl

Dec. 30, 2018

S. Korean football club Suwon sign N. Korean international An Byong-jun

South Korean pro football club Suwon FC said Thursday they've signed Japan-born North Korean forward An Byong-jun.  Suwon FC said An will play in the K League 2, the second division football league in South Korea, after completing his transfer from Japanese side Roasso Kumamoto. "An is an experienced forward who played more than 100 matches in Japan," Suwon said. "He is also a versatile player, so we believe he can help the team."An is a "Zainichi" -- an ethnic Korean resident in Japan -- who wa

Dec. 27, 2018

In-form Son Heung-min scores double vs. Bournemouth

In-form South Korean forward Son Heung-min has scored a double for Tottenham Hotspur again as he continued his run of hot form this month. Son grabbed a brace in Tottenham's 5-0 win over Bournemouth in their English Premier League match at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time). With Tottenham leading 1-0, he found the net with his right foot in the 23rd minute following a pass from Kyle Walker-Peters. The 26-year-old then rounded off the scoring for Tottenham in the 70th with his c

Dec. 27, 2018