FIFA gives funds to improve soccer academy in N.K.

International soccer’s governing body FIFA has provided funds worth $500,000 to build infrastructure to update a soccer academy in Pyongyang, a media outlet reported Thursday.The International School of Football opened earlier this year and has been training North Korean youths between the ages of 6 and 13, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.The Washington-based broadcaster said support was given as part of its “goal project” to help build football-related infrastructure in less affluent c

Oct. 31, 2013

‘Beckham picks Miami for MLS franchise’

With his playing career over, former England captain David Beckham has decided his next move: starting a Major League Soccer team in Miami.Since leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy in December, and retiring from the game after a subsequent five-month stint at Paris Saint-Germain, Beckham has been mulling over the location for his MLS franchise.Beckham has now made up his mind and he would pay a discounted rate of $25 million to start an MLS expansion team in Miami, a person with knowledge of the situ

Oct. 30, 2013

S. Korea to host Switzerland in Nov. football friendly

South Korea will host Switzerland in a football friendly next month, officials said Monday.The Korea Football Association (KFA) said South Korea, 58th in the FIFA rankings, will bring the world No. 7 Switzerland to Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 15.It will be the first match between the two countries since Switzerland defeated South Korea 2-0 in their final Group G match at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.The loss knocked South Korea out of the tournament, while Switzerland moved on to the r

Oct. 28, 2013

Seoul draws Guangzhou in first leg

FC Seoul scored a late equalizer to hold Guangzhou Evergrande to a 2-2 draw in the opening leg of the AFC Champions League final at home on Saturday.At Seoul World Cup Stadium, striker Dejan Damjanovic scored the tying goal in the 82nd minute, saving the reigning K League Classic champion from the brink of a defeat.The 2013 Asian club champion will be determined on the aggregate score after the second leg on Nov. 9 in Guangzhou. With Guangzhou ahead 2-1 on a second-half go-ahead score by Gao Lin

Oct. 27, 2013

Tottenham on brink of knockout stage after Sheriff win

PARIS (AFP) ― Tottenham Hotspur closed in on a place in the Europa League knockout stages with a 2-0 win away to Moldovan champions Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday.It was a hard-earned win for Andre Villas-Boas’ side, with Sheriff applying plenty of pressure, but ultimately the Premier League team’s class shone through.Villas-Boas made wholesale changes to the team that had beaten Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday but the visitors needed just 12 minutes to open the scoring.On their first

Oct. 25, 2013

FC Seoul seeks first AFC Champions League crown vs. Guangzhou

FC Seoul will compete for its first-ever AFC Champions League football crown against a surging rival from China starting on Saturday.FC Seoul, the reigning South Korean league champ, will host Guangzhou Evergrande, the Chinese Super League's title holder from 2011 to 2013, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the opening match of the two-leg final at Asia's premier club competition.The second leg will be in Guangzhou on Nov. 9, and the aggregate score after the two contests will d

Oct. 25, 2013

Messi earns Barca a draw at AC Milan

MILAN (AP) ― Lionel Messi scored a first-half equalizer to earn Barcelona a 1-1 draw against AC Milan in Group H of the Champions League on Tuesday.Robinho gave Milan a deserved lead after only nine minutes at a packed San Siro, shortly after Sulley Muntari’s strike had been ruled out for offside. The Brazilian forward linked up impressively with compatriot Kaka, who showed flashes of his old form after a disappointing few seasons at Real Madrid, and steered the ball home from close range.Messi

Oct. 23, 2013

Football veteran Lee Young-pyo announces retirement

South Korean football veteran Lee Young-pyo announced his retirement through his Canadian club on Wednesday.Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Major League Soccer (MLS) confirmed on its website that Lee, 36, will play his final football game on Sunday at its home against Colorado Rapids."I have been playing (football) for the last 28 years, so I think it's time to stop," Lee was quoted as saying on the website."It is an emotional time for me, but I'm so happy because when I came here two years ago, I

Oct. 23, 2013

Portugal to ...face Sweden ...in WC playoffs

ZURICH (AP) ― Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal must beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden in a playoff to advance to the World Cup in Brazil.The two teams were drawn Monday to face each other in a two-leg series scheduled for Nov. 15 and 19.France will play Ukraine, with the return match in Paris, and Greece was paired with Romania.Iceland, the lowest ranked of the eight teams at No. 46 in the world, will host the first leg against Croatia, which fired its coach last week.The four winners will comple

Oct. 22, 2013

Tottenham rolls 2-0

LONDON (AP) ― Andros Townsend beat American goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the 31st minute and Roberto Soldado scored in the 69th to lead Tottenham to a 2-0 win at Aston Villa in the Premier League.Townsend scored in his England debut last week in a 4-1 win over Montenegro before impressing in a 2-0 victory over Poland that secured a place at next year’s World Cup.Tottenham (5-2-1) is fifth with 16 points, three behind league-leading Arsenal. Aston Villa (3-4-1) is 13th with 10 points.

Oct. 21, 2013

United settles for 1-1 draw

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United stumbled again under new manager David Moyes, allowing a late equalizer against Southampton, and Arsenal maintained its Premier League lead with a 4-1 rout of Norwich.Adam Lallana scored on a glancing header in the 89th minute, giving Southampton a 1-1 tie at defending champion United.Robin van Persie had scored in the 26th, pouncing on a rebound after Wayne Rooney’s shot was blocked. Rooney and Van Persie hit the crossbar for eighth-place United (3-3-2), which is

Oct. 20, 2013

Spain, England, Russia, Bosnia into World Cup

England and defending champion Spain qualified for the World Cup on Tuesday night along with Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which earned its first berth as an independent nation.Wayne Rooney scored in the 41st minute and Steven Gerrard in the 88th to give England (6-0-4) a 2-0 win over Poland at London’s Wembley Stadium and first place in Group H by one point over Ukraine (6-1-3). The Three Lions qualified for their 14th World Cup and fifth in a row.“We have a great togetherness, are there for e

Oct. 16, 2013

S. Korea looks to redeem itself vs. Mali in football friendly

After getting badly outplayed by Brazil last week, the South Korean men's football team will look to redeem itself against Mali on Tuesday.The 58th-ranked South Korea will host the 38th-ranked Mali in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers south of Seoul, at 8 p.m. Tuesday.This will be the first meeting between the two countries.South Korea suffered a 2-0 defeat against world No. 8 Brazil last Saturday in Seoul. FC Barcelona standout Neymar and Chelsea star Oscar scored a goal apiece, as Brazil overcame p

Oct. 14, 2013

Korea to host Brazil in highly anticipated football friendly

In one of the most highly anticipated football matches here this year, South Korea will host Brazil in the nation’s capital on Saturday.The match will take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m.According to the Korea Football Association, it is expected to draw a near-sellout crowd at the 66,000-seat venue and set a new attendance record for a football friendly there.The record for the largest turnout at Seoul World Cup Stadium is 62,884, when South Korea took on the Netherlands in June 2007

Oct. 11, 2013