Intense rivalry continues to grow

Korea, Japan meet again ― this time a trip to the final is at stakeIn Asian soccer, there is no bigger game than South Korea versus Japan. It is a match that attracts the interest of fans around the world. The two rivals have been the leading teams on the continent for years and will get another chance to fight it out in Tuesday’s 2011 Asian Cup semifinal in Qatar. It will be the fourth time that

Jan. 24, 2011

Yoon propels Korea into semis

Nationa team to battele Japan for place in Asian Cup finalDOHA (AP) ― Substitute midfielder Yoon Bit-garam drilled a left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty box in extra time Saturday to send South Korea into the semifinals of the Asian Cup with a 1-0 victory over perennial rival Iran.Yoon found the lower right corner of the net during injury time of the first added period after South Korea ha

Jan. 23, 2011

S. Korea advances to semifinals with win over Iran

South Korea edged Iran 1-0 in extra periods to advance to the semifinals at the ongoing Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.At Qatar Sports Club Stadium early Sunday, Korean time, midfielder Yoon Bitgaram broke the scoreless deadlock in the dying moments of the first 15-minute extra period. Dribbling in from the right wing, the midfielder fooled an Iran defender Pejman Nouri before striking a left-foot shot

Jan. 23, 2011

Iraq trips N. Korea to reach quarters

Jo Tong-sop's squad heads home with zero goalsDOHA (AP) ― Defending champion Iraq reached the Asian Cup quarterfinals by defeating North Korea 1-0 on Wednesday.Iraq will play Group C winner Australia in the quarterfinals on Saturday.Midfielder Kerrar Jasim scored in the 22nd minute, sealing Iraq’s place in the knockout round behind Iran, which topped Group D.Iraq coach Wolfgang Sidka praised his t

Jan. 20, 2011

Making a statement

Korea’s 4-1 thrashing of India sets up Iran clash in quartersKorea finished second in Group C behind Australia after cruising past India 4-1 Tuesday at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in its final group game in Qatar.Korea and Australia both finished their group games with two wins and one draw, but the Taeguk Warriors came in second place on goal difference.Had Korea scored one more goal against India, on

Jan. 19, 2011

South Korea sink India to set up Iran showdown

   DOHA (AFP) - South Korea marched into the Asian Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 defeat of an obdurate India in their final Group C game at a sodden Al Gharafa Stadium on Tuesday.   Beneath pouring rain, the Koreans established a quick-fire 2-0 lead through Ji Dong-Won and Koo Ja-Cheol before striker Sunil Chhetri brought India backinto the game from the penalty spot.   Ji swiftly restored the Tae

Jan. 19, 2011

Jordan storms into quarterfinals

Japan pummels Saudi Arabia 5-0 to grab place in Asian cup's last 8DOHA (AP) ― Japan and Jordan reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup with contrasting victories on Monday.Three-time cup champion Japan humbled Saudi Arabia 5-0 and Jordan came from behind to defeat Syria 2-1 and reach the quarters for the second time in its history.The victories left Japan top of Group B on goal difference from

Jan. 18, 2011

North Korea fined $2,000 at Asian Cup

DOHA, Qatar _ The Asian Football Confederation has fined North Korea $2,000 for failing to bring a player to an Asian Cup news conference.The fine, announced Sunday, is the latest to be imposed on teams at the tournament in Doha, Qatar for violating the AFC's media policy. Qatar has also been fined $2,000 for the same offense while complaints against Iraq and Saudi Arabia for failing to bring play

Jan. 17, 2011

South Korea and Australia share spoils

    DOHA (AFP) - Australia and South Korea shared the spoils 1-1 in the battle of the big guns at the Asian Cup on Friday as both sides inched closer to the quarter-finals.   The two Asian heavyweights are both seen as potential tournament winnersbut neither could find the decisive winner at the three-quarters full Al-Gharafa Stadium.   Exciting Jeju United 21-year-old Koo Ja-cheol, who has alread

Jan. 15, 2011

Real Madrid fight back in stormy Spanish Cup derby

MADRID (AFP) ― Real Madrid fought back from a goal down to defeat city rivals Atletico 3-1 in the first leg of the Spanish Cup quarter-finals Thursday.Atletico were ahead after just seven minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu when Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan was on target following a bright burst from Sergio Aguero which was ended by goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ clumsy challenge.But Sergio Ramos powere

Jan. 14, 2011

National team faces huge Aussie test

Cho Kwang-rae aims to crack tough defenseSouth Korea is coming off a solid 2-1 win over Bahrain on Tuesday to start its Asian Cup football tournament in Qatar, but the real test is set for Friday.At 10:15 p.m. Friday, Korean time, South Koreans will face Australia, the highest-ranked team at this year’s Asian Cup at No. 26 in the world.This is Australia’s second Asian Cup appearance since the coun

Jan. 13, 2011

UAE holds North Korea to draw

Jo Tong-sop's squad misses penalty shot in 6th minuteDOHA (AP) ― The United Arab Emirates restored some pride to the Gulf teams Tuesday by holding North Korea to a 0-0 draw in its opening Group D match of the Asian Cup.North Korea, which qualified for last year’s World Cup, should have taken the lead in the sixth minute but captain Hong Yong-jo hit the bar with a penalty after Hamdan Al Kamali pus

Jan. 12, 2011

Auspicious start

Koo scores brace as Korea trips Bahrain to open Asian CupKorean national team manager Cho Kwang-rae praised midfielder Koo Ja-cheol after watching his side’s 2-1 win over Bahrain in their Asian Cup group match Monday at the Al Gharafa Stadium in Doha, Qatar.The 22-year-old Jeju United player was the hero of the night. Koo not only scored a brace to claim the victory, but was instrumental throughou

Jan. 11, 2011

S. Korea defeats Bahrain to open Asian Cup

SEOUL/DOHA -- Midfielder Koo Ja-cheol scored twice as South Korea edged Bahrain 2-1 Tuesday to open the Asian Cup football tournament on a winning note in Qatar.In Group C action at Al Gharafa Stadium in Doha, Koo, 21, gave South Korea a lead in the 39th minute. After receiving a hard pass from Ki Sung-yueng, Koo took a shot that went off the right leg of the diving defender Abdulla Marzooqi and s

Jan. 11, 2011

First step toward glory

National team opens Asian Cup campaign against BahrainSouth Korea kicks off its Asian Cup campaign against Bahrain in the early hours of Tuesday morning (1:15 KST) local time. It will be a long night for fans in Seoul and elsewhere who stay up to watch the Group C match beamed from the Qatari capital of Doha but that is nothing to the 51 years that have passed since the nation was last crowned con

Jan. 9, 2011

Taeguk Warriors ready to end Asian Cup frustration

The fact that South Korea has failed to win the Asian Cup since 1960 is a source of puzzlement.The South Koreans, named the Taeguk Warriors after the emblem of their national flag, have by far the best record at the World Cup of any Asian team and has appeared at eight tournaments. Japan and Saudi Arabia are next with four each. At the competition itself, the team has progressed further than any o

Jan. 7, 2011

Korea primed for deep Asian Cup run

Jeju United’s Koo Ja-cheol appears set to fill in for injured Park Chu-youngNational football team manger Cho Kwang-rae remains confident that Korea can win the Asian Cup title despite missing his best striker.Although losing Park Chu-young of AS Monaco was a big blow, Cho seems to have found an alternative in Tuesday’s friendly ― his answer is Jeju United midfielder Koo Ja-cheol. On Tuesday, Cho’

Jan. 5, 2011

S. Korea defeats Al Jazira before Asian Cup

(Yonhap News)Midfielders Lee Chung-yong and Ki Sung-yueng scored a goal apiece as the South Korean men's football team blanked Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Football League 2-0 on Tuesday, local time. It was South Korea's second and final tune-up match ahead of the Jan. 7-29 Asian Cup in Qatar.South Korea had edged Syria 1-0 in its previous game on Dec. 30. The team is scheduled to a

Jan. 5, 2011

Chung out to retain FIFA seat

Asian confederation to re-elect delegates on ThursdayFIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to make a last pitch for his re-election campaign ahead of the Asian Football Confederation’s meeting in Doha.The 46-member Asian confederation is to convene Thursday, one day before the opening of the 2011 Asian Cup, to re-elect their FIFA delegates.The AFC has four seats on the 24

Jan. 4, 2011