Chung considers FIFA candidacy

Former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon said Wednesday that he would carefully consider running for the top job at the world’s football governing body.“I will decide on whether to participate in an election after consulting with officials in the global football community,” Chung said in a press conference in Seoul.Chung, who served as FIFA’s No. 2 man from 1994 to 2011 and chief of the Korea Football Association from 1993 to 2009, helped Korea co-host the World Cup in 2002 with Japan.By Park

June 3, 2015

FIFA's Blatter slams US action, Europe 'hate' campaign

ZURICH, (AFP) - FIFA leader Sepp Blatter said Saturday he was "shocked" at the way the US judiciary has targeted football's world body and slammed what he called a "hate" campaign by Europe's football leaders.In an interview with Swiss television, Blatter said he suspected the arrest of seven FIFA officials on Wednesday under a US anti-corruption warrant was an attempt to "interfere with the congress" at which he was elected Friday.Commenting on the fact that it came only two days before his ele

May 30, 2015

FC Seoul eliminated from AFC Champions League

South Korean club FC Seoul crashed out of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League following an away loss on Wednesday.The K League Classic club lost to Gamba Osaka 3-2 in Osaka in the second leg of their round of 16 series. The Japanese side reached the quarterfinals on the 6-3 aggregate.Last week, Gamba Osaka had prevailed 3-1 in the South Korean capital.FC Seoul needed to win by at least three goals Wednesday to reach the quarters but Gamba Osaka had other ideas. Brazilian forw

May 27, 2015

Former FIFA VP Temarii banned 8 years for taking money

ZURICH (AP) – FIFA has banned former vice president Reynald Temarii for eight years for taking Qatari powerbroker Mohamed bin Hammam's money to pay legal costs in a corruption case linked to the 2022 World Cup vote.FIFA says its ethics committee ruled that Temarii accepting 305,640 euros ($343,000) from Bin Hammam in January 2011, breaching five sections of its ethics code.Temarii was then appealing a one-year suspension by FIFA which barred him from voting in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup contest

May 13, 2015

S. Korea defeats Russia 1-0 in women's football friendly

South Korea edged out Russia 1-0 in the two countries' women's football friendly match at home on Sunday.Striker Ji So-yun scored in the dying moments of the match at Incheon Football Stadium, located just west of Seoul, to lift the home side over the visitors in a prep match ahead of this year's FIFA Women's World Cup. South Korea and Russia will go head-to-head again on Wednesday in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul. Ji, who plays club football for Chelsea Ladies in England, only ar

April 5, 2015

After 76 matches, football defender Cha Du-ri bids teary farewell to int'l football

South Korean footballer Cha Du-ri bid a teary farewell to international football on Tuesday, wrapping up a 14-year career that included appearances at two FIFA World Cups.Cha, 34, played in his 76th and final match for South Korea against New Zealand at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The right fullback served as the team captain and stayed on for 42 minutes before leaving the field to a rousing standing ovation from thousands of fans. New Zealand players also applauded Cha on his way to the bench.Cha'

March 31, 2015

Talented midfielder injured ahead of S. Korea's Olympic football qualification

South Korea lost one of its most gifted young players ahead of its early Olympic football qualification matches scheduled in Indonesia, officials announced Monday.The Korea Football Association said Ryu Seung-woo, a midfielder for the second-division German club Eintracht Braunschweig, has suffered a partially torn knee ligament in a league match and will not suit up for the South Korean under-22 team.The U-22 squad, coached by Shin Tae-yong, traveled to Indonesia last Friday for the qualificati

March 23, 2015

S. Korea loses to France in race to host 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

South Korea on Thursday came up short in a race to host the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.  At FIFA's Executive Board meeting in Zurich Thursday, South Korea lost out to France for the right to host the women's premier football event.  South Korea was aiming to become the first country to have held every major FIFA tournament. It previously hosted the 2001 Confederations Cup, the 2002 World Cup -- with Japan as a co-host -- and the 2007 U-17 World Cup. And it will stage the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cu

March 20, 2015

S. Korea jumps 15 spots to No. 54 in latest FIFA rankings

Buoyed by its runner-up finish at the AFC Asian Cup in January, South Korea jumped 15 spots to No. 54 in the latest FIFA rankings announced on Thursday.South Korea soared in the FIFA standings after staying at No. 69 -- its all-time low -- over the past three months.At the Asian Cup in Australia, South Korea won its first five matches before losing to the host in the final.There were other changes among AFC member states in the latest rankings. Iran, despite getting eliminated in the quarters at

Feb. 12, 2015

S. Korea's U-23 football coach quits with leukemia

Lee Kwang-jong, who coached South Korea's under-23 men's football team to the gold medal at last year's Asian Games, has stepped down to deal with leukemia, officials said.  The Korea Football Association said late Thursday it convened a technical committee meeting and named Shin Tae-yong, an assistant coach on the senior national team, as Lee's replacement. The KFA said Lee, 50, was recently diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. It also said Shin's replacement on the senior national team wi

Feb. 6, 2015

S. Korea gets hero's welcome after runner-up finish

The South Korean men's national football team received a hero's welcome on Sunday upon returning home from the AFC Asian Cup in Australia, where it posted the country's best result in nearly three decades.Coached by Uli Stielike, South Korea finished second to Australia in the quadrennial continental competition. In the taut final on Saturday in Sydney, Australia prevailed 2-1 thanks to an extra-time score by James Troisi.South Korea trailed 1-0 with about a minute left in regulation when Son He

Feb. 2, 2015

Chelsea draws with Man City

Chelsea settled for a 1-1 draw with title rival Manchester City to protect its Premier League lead Saturday, and Real Madrid won big without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo to stay on top of the Spanish standings.Chelsea appeared content with the stalemate that kept Jose Mourinho’s side five-points clear of City, which now has neighbor Manchester United just five points behind after it beat Leicester 3-1.Karim Benzema filled Ronaldo’s void by scoring twice to lead Madrid’s 4-1 thrashing of Real

Feb. 1, 2015

S. Korea loses to Australia in Asian Cup final

South Korea fell to Australia 2-1 in extra time in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup final on Saturday, failing to end a 55-year title drought at the continental tournament.South Korea's first defeat at the tournament came at the most inopportune time, as the country came up achingly short of its first Asian Cup title since 1960.After the teams ended the 90 minutes of play tied at 1-1, James Troisi scored in the final seconds of the first extra period, as the Socceroos lifted their first Asian Cup trophy i

Feb. 1, 2015

Focus on Australia’s holes

Australia, South Korea’s opponent in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup final, is a well-balanced team from top to bottom, but the team does have holes that can be exploited, analysts said Thursday.Kim Dae-gil, a commentator for the cable channel KBS N, noted that Australia has enjoyed a strong Asian Cup as the host, and remains superior to South Korea in terms of passing accuracy and goal scoring.“It’s not just Tim Cahill; players like Matthew Leckie, Robbie Kruse and Massimo Luongo are also dangerous,

Jan. 29, 2015

Koreans tough enough for Aussies, says captain Ki

 South Korea could thrive in the role of underdogs when they face hosts Australia in the Asian Cup final this weekend, says skipper Ki Sung-Yueng.Having reached the final for the first time in 27 years battered, bruised and held together by team spirit and sheer bloody-mindedness, the Swansea City midfielder told Korean reporters on Wednesday that the Red Devils had the steel to go all the way.  "I believe it will come down to mental strength," said Ki, who has been a calming influence on South

Jan. 28, 2015