S. Korea crush Maldives 8-0 in women's football

South Korea beat the Maldives 8-0 in their women's football match at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on Sunday.   Son Hwa-yeon scored a hat trick at Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, Indonesia, to lead South Korea to the quarterfinals regardless of their final Group A match against Indonesia on Tuesday. South Korea defeated Chinese Taipei 2-1 in their opening match on Thursday.   Chelsea Ladies forward Ji So-yun converted the penalty kick in the 25th minute to open the scoring for South K

Aug. 19, 2018

Son's Asian Games hopes rocked by minnows Malaysia

Son Heung-min's hopes of avoiding military service by securing Asian Games gold suffered a blow Friday as South Korea were stunned 2-1 by minnows Malaysia. (Yonhap)The Tottenham Hotspur forward came off the bench just before the hour-mark but couldn't help the defending champions overturn a two-goal deficit, after Safawi Rasid's first-half double for 171st-ranked Malaysia.Son is skipping Premier League action for the regional Olympics, where victory would mean an exemption from South Korea's 21

Aug. 18, 2018

S. Korea suffer shocking defeat to Malaysia in men's football

South Korea suffered a shocking 2-1 loss to Malaysia in the men's football competition at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on Friday.Safawi Rasid scored two goals at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, Indonesia, to stun the defending champions at the Asian Games. With the latest result, South Korea dropped to second place in Group E with one win and one loss. South Korea demolished Bahrain 6-0 in their opening match on Wednesday. Malaysia are in first place with two wins.South Korea will next

Aug. 18, 2018

S. Korea appoints Paulo Bento nat'l football team head coach

South Korea on Friday appointed former Portugal boss Paulo Bento as the new head coach for the men's national football team.Kim Pan-gon, who heads the national team coach appointment committee at the Korea Football Association, said that Bento will lead South Korea through the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.The 49-year-old Portuguese will succeed Shin Tae-yong for the top South Korean football coaching job. This undated file photo taken by the EPA shows Portuguese football coach Paulo Bento, who w

Aug. 17, 2018

S. Korea defeat Chinese Taipei 2-1 to start women's football competition

South Korea beat Chinese Taipei 2-1 in their women's football opening match at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on Thursday.Jeon Ga-eul and Jang Sel-gi scored a goal apiece at Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, Indonesia, to help South Korea to collect their first win in Group A in the women's football competition at the Asian Games.The Taeguk Ladies, led by head coach Yoon Duk-yeo, are looking for their first gold medal at the Asian Games. South Korea took bronze medals at the two previous

Aug. 16, 2018

S. Korea stay put in FIFA rankings released after 2018 World Cup

South Korea stayed steady at No. 57 in the latest FIFA rankings announced Thursday in the wake of the 2018 World Cup.According to FIFA's August rankings, South Korea remained in 57th place with 1,387 points following their performance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. South Korea were eliminated in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup with one win and two losses. They beat the defending champions Germany 2-0, but lost to Sweden 1-0 and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Mexico.  (Yonhap)South Korea had th

Aug. 16, 2018

Korea set to name Paulo Bento as new nat'l football team head coach

Korea is set to name former Portugal boss Paulo Bento as the new head coach for the men's national football team, an official with the country's football governing body said Thursday. A Korea Football Association official said Bento will sign a contract to lead the Taeguk Warriors through the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. If confirmed, the 49-year-old Portuguese will succeed Shin Tae-yong for the top coaching job. (Yonhap)The KFA later announced that Kim Pan-gon, who leads the national team coac

Aug. 16, 2018

Korea beat Bahrain 6-0 to start men's football competition

BANDUNG, Indonesia -- Korea beat Bahrain 6-0 in their men's football opening match at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on Wednesday. Hwang Ui-jo scored a hat trick at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, Indonesia, for Korea to collect their first win in Group E, where they will also face Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan. Korea are the defending champions of the Asian Games men's football tournament. The Taeguk Warriors have four Asian Games titles, tied for most with Iran.(Yonhap)Resting their top star

Aug. 16, 2018

S. Korean football star Son Heung-min joins national team

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min joined the South Korean men's under-23 national football team on Monday to compete at the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. Son arrived in Bandung, Indonesia, to play for South Korea at the Asian Games following Spurs' 2-1 win over Newcastle United in their English Premier League opener on Saturday. He was the last South Korean footballer to report to the U-23 national team. Other South Korean players arrived in Indonesia on Saturday. "On my flight to Indones

Aug. 13, 2018

Forwards looking to rely on World Cup experience to take Asiad gold

Two South Korean football forwards who played at this year's FIFA World Cup said Wednesday they'll use that experience to help their country defend the Asian Games gold medal. Hwang Hee-chan and Lee Seung-woo started training with South Korea's under-23 national football team for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games at Paju Stadium in Paju, north of Seoul, on Wednesday, following their pre-season schedule with their European clubs. Lee Seung-woo and Hwang Hee-chan (Yonhap)Hwang, 22, is with Austria

Aug. 8, 2018

Korean footballers receive 1.15b won World Cup bonus

Korean footballers received a World Cup bonus despite suffering a group stage exit, the national football governing body said Tuesday.The Korea Football Association said it gave out 1.15 billion won ($1.02 million) to 23 players who participated in the (Yonhap)2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Each player will equally get 50 million won for their performance at the top football tournament. Korea were eliminated in the group stage with one win and two losses. The Taeguk Warriors fell 1-0 to Sweden i

Aug. 7, 2018

Ki Sung-yueng makes 1st appearance for Newcastle United

South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng has made his first appearance for his new Premier League club while wearing his old number.Newcastle United on Monday (local time) posted pictures of Ki in his familiar No. 4, in training with his new teammates.Ki signed a two-year deal with Newcastle on June 29, after a six-year stint with Swansea City. Ki wore No. 4 with his former club, too. In this photo captured from Newcastle United's website, South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng poses in the kit of h

July 24, 2018

Former Spain playmaker Iniesta makes debut in Japan

KOBE, Japan _ Andres Iniesta made his debut in Japan on Sunday for Vissel Kobe but his new team went down 3-0 at home to Shonan Bellmare.Keisuke Saka and Mitsuki Saito scored to give the visitors a 2-0 lead before Iniesta came on as a 59th-minute substitute. But Shunsuke Kikuchi added another in the 67th to put the result beyond doubt. Andres Iniesta (AP)The 34-year-old Iniesta had his first touch in the 62nd minute, as he received a pass inside his own area before dribbling to halfway and passi

July 22, 2018

South Korean football legend looking to expand his youth project

SHENZHEN, China -- South Korean football legend Cha Bum-kun said Thursday that Asian nations need to compete with each other to develop the sport as he eyes an expansion of his youth football project across the continent.　Cha will launch “Team Chaboom Plus Project” in Shenzhen, 2,000 kilometers south of Beijing, with the help of a sports organization under China‘s CITIC Group. The 65-year-old is familiar with the Chinese city as he managed Shenzhen Ping An in 1998 after he was sacked from the So

July 19, 2018

Korea negotiating with Tottenham over release period of Son Heung-min

Korea is negotiating with Tottenham Hotspur over the release date of Son Heung-min for the upcoming Asian Games, a football official in Seoul said Thursday, hoping the star forward can join the national team as soon as possible.Son, 26, was named to Korea's 20-man football squad for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia as one of the three overage players. The Asiad is open to men's footballers aged 23 or under, but teams can field up to three players who are over the age limit.(Yonhap)Korea's under

July 19, 2018

S. Korea begins search for new men's football coach

South Korea has begun its quest to find a new head coach for the men's national football team after suffering an early exit at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.  The Korea Football Association on Wednesday confirmed that Kim Pan-gon, who leads the national team coach appointment committee, has returned from a trip to negotiate with foreign tacticians for the South Korean men's national football team coaching job.The KFA has been keeping mum on Kim's destinations and the coaches he has contacted. What's c

July 18, 2018

Son Heung-min gets opportunity to earn military service exemption with Asiad selection

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has received his last opportunity to earn a military service exemption to extend his career in Europe after he was named to South Korea's football squad for the 2018 Asian Games. Son made the 20-man roster Monday for the men's football tournament at the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games as one of the three "wild-card" members. The men's football competition at the Asian Games is open to the players who are aged 23 or under, but teams can field three players wh

July 16, 2018

[World Cup] With flags, song, pride, French celebrate unifying victory

PARIS -- It was a victory for all of France and the home crowd did it justice, pouring into Paris’ Champs-Elysees Avenue by the tens of thousands to celebrate in an explosion of joy.France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday marked the second time in 20 years that France has won the World Cup, and came at a time when the people feel needy.“It represents enormous things,” said Goffrey Hamsik, dressed in a hat resembling a rooster — the French national symbol — and a

July 16, 2018

Son Heung-min headlines Korea's football roster for 2018 Asian Games

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min is the headline star of South Korea's squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia. The Korea Football Association on Monday unveiled the men's national football team roster for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games that includes Son as one of its "wild card" members. Son, who turned 26 on July 8, will make his first Asiad appearance. The men's football competition at the Asian Games, which will be held from Aug. 14 to Sept. 1, is open to players born in o

July 16, 2018

Four World Cup team members reunited in pursuit of Asian Games gold

Four members of the South Korean 2018 World Cup squad have been reunited in the country's pursuit of a second straight Asian Games gold medal.Head coach Kim Hak-bum announced his 20-man roster for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, where South Korea will be the defending champions. The opening ceremony is Aug. 18, but the men's football tournament kicks off on Aug. 14.Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min was a no-brainer selection as one of five forwards. He led South Korea with two goals at the FI

July 16, 2018