Newcomers fill void left by Park and LeeManagers do not often feel pressure before going into a friendly match. But for Korean national team manager Cho Kwang-rae, there was much to think about when he faced Guss Hiddink’s Turkish side Wednesday night in Trabzon, Turkey. Turkey manager Guus Hiddink reacts during the match against Korea. (Yonhap News)It was his first match without the team’s two mo

Feb. 10, 2011

Lionel Messi converted a 90th-minute penalty kick to give Argentina a dramatic 2-1 exhibition victory over Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, while France maintained its revival under coach Laurent Blanc with a 1-0 win over five-time world champion Brazil on Wednesday night.Ronaldo scored a tying goal in the 21st minute equalizer in Geneva, but the Real Madrid forward was upstaged by his Barcelona ri

Feb. 10, 2011

South Korea drew 0-0 with 10-man Turkey, led by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who coached the Asian team to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, in a friendly held Wednesday in the Turkish port city of Trabzon. (Yonhap News)In the friendly at Huseyin Avni Aker Stadium, the South Koreans were not able to capitalize on their numerical advantage against Turkey, whose captain Emre Belozoglu was red carded e

Feb. 10, 2011

 South Korean football player Park Ji-sung has set up his own charity foundation to help the development of youth football.   Park announced Monday that he will serve as the executive director of the JS Foundation, named after his own initials. Park Ji-sung (Yonhap News)   "Our vision is to help globalize South Korean football and to share happiness through the sport," Park said through a statemen

Feb. 7, 2011

It was apt. On the day that Park Ji-sung announced his retirement from the South Korean national team, leaving the way open for even more young players, then 21-year-old midfielder Koo Ja-cheol was heading to Europe to join 2009 German champions VfL Wolfsburg.Park’s goodbye was more emotional and marks the end of an era. After making his 100th appearance in the semifinal of the 2011 Asian Cup that

Feb. 6, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season ended Saturday with a startling 2-1 defeat at last-place Wolverhampton.The upset came on the highest-scoring day in Premier League history, with 41 goals from eight games.United had been unbeaten in 29 Premier League matches since April, equaling a club record partly set in its triple championship season of 1998-99 seaso

Feb. 6, 2011

Korean sprinters target 4x100m success at world championshipsOn another bitterly cold morning last week in northeast Seoul, the streets were almost empty. It was too cold even for exercise. Inside the Taeneung Training Center, however, a group of sprinters were warming up by jogging around the running track. Despite the temperature, beads of sweat rolled from their foreheads as they started runnin

Feb. 1, 2011

Manchester United midfielder retires from the national teamPark Ji-sung is no stranger to holding a press conference, but the versatile midfielder admitted Monday that the one announcing his retirement from international football was the “toughest” of his career. “I’ve done many interviews, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen so many reporters gathered in one place,” Park said in a news c

Jan. 31, 2011

Park Ji-sung is no stranger to holding a press conference, but the versatile midfielder admitted Monday that the one announcing his retirement from international football was the “toughest” of his career. “I’ve done many interviews, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen so many reporters gathered in one place,” Park said in a news conference at the Korea Football Association’s office in Seo

Jan. 31, 2011

Park Ji-sung, who has represented South Korean football in each of the past three FIFA World Cups, announced his retirement from international play on Monday."It's been an infinite honor and a source of great pride for me to represent my country as a football player," Park said through a statement. "And I've enjoyed a lot of glory and happiness thanks to the love of the fans. But I've come to a di

Jan. 31, 2011

Man United star set to announce retirement from national teamIt ended in tears. It often does for those that are expected to succeed but don’t quite make it. South Korea ended the 2011 Asian Cup in third place, the same as 2007. The trophy may not have been lifted, it hasn’t been gripped by Korean hands since 1960, the final not quite reached but all in all, the tournament was a satisfying one for

Jan. 30, 2011

DOHA (AP) ― Japan won the Asian Cup for a record fourth time when substitute striker Tadanari Lee struck in extra time for a 1-0 victory over Australia on Saturday.Lee slammed home a left-foot volley in the 109th when he was left completely unmarked 10 meters from Australia’s goal. Lee had all the time in the world to perfectly time his volley from a cross by defender Yuto Nagatoma and fire it pas

Jan. 30, 2011

Park, Lee hint at retirement from national squadSouth Korean manager Cho Kwang-rae has stressed he is determined to keep his squad to playing their best football on Friday night against Uzbekistan, despite a heartbreaking loss to Japan only three days earlier in the Asian Cup semifinals.Cho was left crestfallen after watching his side lose 3-0 to its archrival in a penalty shootout, following a 2-

Jan. 27, 2011

South Korea clipped 3-0  on penaltiesDOHA (AP) ― Japan beat its fierce rival South Korea in a penalty shootout at the Asian Cup while Australia routed 10-man Uzbekistan 6-0, setting up a dream final between the region’s top two teams.The two games late Tuesday couldn’t have been more different. In a back-and-forth encounter, Japan came from a goal down to take the lead before South Korea equalized

Jan. 26, 2011

     DOHA (AFP) - Three-time champions Japan reached the Asian Cupfinal after defeating arch-rivals South Korea 3-0 in a nail-biting penaltyshootout in the semi-finals on Tuesday.   Centre-back Yasuyuki Konno netted the decisive penalty, placing the ballinto the right-hand side of the goal, after Koo Ja-Cheol, Lee Yong-Rae and Hong Jeong-Ho had all failed from 12 yards for South Korea.   Japan led

Jan. 26, 2011