The Korea Herald

Torino completes Italian Europa sweep

Dec 12, 2014

ROME (AP) ― The entire Italian league stands to benefit after Torino came back to beat nine-man Copenhagen 5-1 Thursday and complete a clean sweep with all four Serie A clubs advancing from the group phase of the Europa League. Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli had already reached the last 32 and Roma dropped down to the continent’s secondary competition by finishing third in its Champions League group. With Juventus advancing in the Champions League, Italy has six clubs still competing in Euro
‘Big 4’ will be hard to topple in Champions League

Dec 12, 2014

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― With nine different winners in the last 11 years, no one could ever accuse the Champions League of being predictable. It does appear, however, that an established “Big 4” has been created in Europe’s premier club competition ― and this year’s group stage backs up the theory. Barcelona, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the last four winners of European soccer’s top prize, were the top teams in group play, which finished Wednesday. In each of the last three season
Man City, Schalke advance

Dec 11, 2014

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Manchester City and Schalke grabbed the final spots on offer in the knockout stage of the Champions League on Wednesday, while Lionel Messi helped Barcelona secure first place in its group with a record-extending 75th goal in the competition.City started the final round of group play in last place in Group E but finished second by beating Roma 2-0 away, with second-half goals by Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta lifting the English champions above their Italian opponents
Liverpool knocked out of Champions League

Dec 10, 2014

GENEVA (AP) ― Liverpool’s decline and fall from the European elite was confirmed on Tuesday, as Basel held the hosts to a 1-1 draw at Anfield to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.The five-time European champion trailed Fabian Frei’s 25th-minute strike, and had substitute Lazar Markovic sent off in the 60th, before captain Steven Gerrard’s 81st-minute free kick sparked a frantic finish.Liverpool twice failed to beat Basel and was outclassed by Group B winner Real Madrid on returning from
Stielike says door open for ‘passionate, hungry’ players

Dec 10, 2014

As South Korea prepares for an upcoming continental football tournament next month, Uli Stielike, head coach of the men’s national team, said Wednesday the doors to his squad are open to “passionate and hungry” players.Stielike is scheduled to open an early training camp on Jejudo Island, in the southern part of the country, next Monday, in preparation for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, which will kick off on Jan. 9 in Australia. South Korea, seeking its first Asian Cup since 1960, has been paired with
Stielike laments political meddling

Dec 9, 2014

Uli Stielike, the head coach of the South Korean men’s national football team, on Tuesday lamented a recent rise in political meddling in the top domestic league, saying politics and sports should be separated.Stielike held a luncheon meeting with head coaches of teams in the first division K League Classic on Tuesday in Seoul, his first conference with pro club coaches since taking over South Korea in October.Speaking to reporters afterward, Stielike said it was “regrettable” that there have be
Man United beats Southampton 2-1

Dec 9, 2014

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) ― Two clinical finishes from Robin van Persie gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory against Southampton in the Premier League on Monday, despite the visitors being pegged back for much of the game at St. Mary’s.Van Persie scored with United’s only two efforts on target to give Louis van Gaal’s side its fifth win a row and overtake Southampton in third place. Southampton dropped to fifth behind West Ham after its third straight loss against the teams it hopes to challenge
Hong says he’s ‘at peace’ away from spotlight

Dec 8, 2014

Making his first public appearance since stepping down as head coach of the South Korean men’s national soccer team in the summer, Hong Myung-bo said Monday he is “at peace” away from the spotlight.Hong held a press conference at a Seoul hotel ahead of his annual charity football match for sick children and faced the media for the first time since his resignation from coaching the country’s top football team on July 10.Hong, a former national team captain and one of the most beloved athletes in
Chelsea finally stumbles

Dec 7, 2014

LONDON (AP) ― Chelsea lost for the first time in 22 matches this season, a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday, and the Blues’ English Premier League lead was trimmed to three points by Manchester City.Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-setting 23rd La Liga hat trick led first-place Real Madrid over Celta Vigo.Papiss Cisse scored in the 57th and 78th minutes as Newcastle opened a two-goal lead. Didier Drogba got a goal for Chelsea in the 83rd, two minutes after Steven Taylor was given a red card for a s
Gwangju FC earns promotion to first-division soccer league

Dec 7, 2014

South Korean soccer club Gwangju FC on Saturday earned a promotion to the first division K League Classic for next season.In the second leg of the promotion playoff, Gwangju played Gyeongnam FC to a 1-1 draw on the road at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.Gwangju got the promotion on the superior aggregate score after two matches. In the opening leg Wednesday, Gwangju had prevailed 3-1.Gwangju has played the past two seasons
Asian soccer body disciplines N.K. player, coach

Dec 7, 2014

A North Korean soccer player and team coach have been suspended for six to 12 months for their misconduct during an Asian Games match in South Korea, according to the website of the Asian football governing body on Sunday.The disciplinary committee of the Asian Football Confederation decided at its November meeting to penalize North Korean team’s head coach Yun Jong-su with a 12-month suspension, barring him from all AFC competitions. He is still allowed to register as a team official, attend tr
Asian football governing body disciplines NK player, coach for misconduct during match

Dec 7, 2014

A North Korean football player and team coach have been suspended from six to 12 months for their misconduct during an Asian Games match in South Korea, according to the Web site of the Asian football governing body on Sunday.The disciplinary committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided at their November meeting to penalize North Korean team's head coach Yun Jong-su with a 12-month suspension, barring him from all AFC competitions. He is still allowed to register as a team officia
Beleaguered club owner says he’s lost faith in K League

Dec 5, 2014

Lee Jae-myung, the owner of the South Korean football club Seongnam FC currently in the hot seat for his recent criticism of officiating, said Friday he’d rather be banned from the sport than merely penalized for his action, since he has lost faith in football administration here.Lee attended a disciplinary hearing convened on Friday by the K League, the national governing body for pro football, over his open criticism of refereeing. Last Saturday, Lee wrote on his Facebook page that Seongnam FC
Making a statement

Dec 4, 2014

Title rivals Chelsea, City earn big wins
Stielike to meet with pro club bench bosses

Dec 4, 2014

Uli Stielike, head coach of the South Korean men’s national football team, will soon meet with bench bosses from the domestic professional clubs to discuss the state of the game in the country, an official from the sport’s governing body said Thursday.An official from the Korea Football Association said Stielike has scheduled a luncheon with head coaches from the first-division K League Classic next Tuesday. The annual rookie draft will take place the same day and the coaches from the 12 clubs w