The Korea Herald

[World Cup] Netherlands looking to finish World Cup unbeaten

Jul 12, 2014

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) - Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal is trying to motivate his players for the third-place match against Brazil by giving them the mission of becoming the only Dutch squad to finish a World Cup unbeaten in regular play.Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is just hoping Brazil can finish on a high note in front of the home fans following the devastating 7-1 loss to Germany.After being eliminated by Argentina on penalties, the Netherlands has the chance of ending the tournament without
[World Cup] Brazil’s Neymar thankful he is not in wheelchair now

Jul 11, 2014

BRASILIA (AP) ― Neymar became emotional when talking Thursday about the injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, saying that if the knee to his back had been slightly more to one side he “could be in a wheelchair” right now.The Brazil striker cried as he recalled the injury, saying “God blessed” him and prevented a more serious injury. Neymar had to stop talking for several seconds, lowering his head and putting a hand in front of his eyes.“It’s difficult to talk about a move that (happened)
[World Cup] FIFA rejects Suarez appeal against ban for biting opponent

Jul 11, 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― FIFA has rejected Luis Suarez’s appeal against his lengthy ban for biting an opponent in a World Cup match.Football’s international governing body on Thursday said its appeals committee rejected the appeal by Suarez and the Uruguay football federation in its entirety. But that doesn’t mean Suarez has given up hope of playing on the opening day of the season.The Uruguay and Liverpool star has up to 10 days to get the written decision from FIFA, which he needs to lodge an app
[World Cup] Germany, Argentina prepare for final

Jul 11, 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO ― As Brazil and the Netherlands lick their wounds, Germany and Argentina are busy with preparations for Sunday’s World Cup final ― the third time the two sides have met in soccer’s most important fixture.Spectators widely see the two deserving of their places in the final, but the way they earned their tickets to the final this week could not have contrasted more. Germany on Tuesday handed Brazil the biggest semifinal defeat in World Cup history, a result that undoubtedly left a l
Disgraced Hong resigns as national team coach

Jul 10, 2014

Hong Myung-bo, the embattled head coach of the South Korean men’s national football team, announced his resignation Thursday in the wake of the country’s winless World Cup, just a week after receiving a vote of confidence from the sport’s national governing body.At a press conference at the Korea Football Association headquarters in Seoul, Hong said he took the blame for South Korea’s disappointing campaign in Brazil, where the country had one draw and two losses to finish last in Group H.“A lot
Argentina faces Germany in final

Jul 10, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― The World Cup’s second semifinal was supposed to put the silky skills of Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben in the spotlight. Instead, a goalkeeper and two rock-solid defenses stole the show.Argentina goalie Sergio Romero saved two penalties Wednesday to send Argentina into the World Cup final with a 4-2 shootout win over the Netherlands after tough defending and a lack of creative spark from either team consigned the match to a 0-0 stalemate.In a twist of fate, Romero credited Nethe
[World Cup] Coach Loew, Germany take ‘tiki-taka’ to another level

Jul 10, 2014

PORTO SEGURO, Brazil (AP) ― Germany has taken the “tiki-taka” passing game so intrinsically used by Spain to another level at the World Cup in Brazil, by adding ruthless efficiency to the possession philosophy.Germany is one win from capturing its fourth World Cup title following the astonishing 7-1 demolition of host Brazil in the semifinals.Spain beat Germany at two major tournaments and coach Joachim Loew was so impressed by the Spanish game that he has taken over many aspects and, of course,
[World Cup] Fans delight in WC final berth

Jul 10, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― It was Argentina’s joy, and another sting for Brazil.The Argentine soccer team beat the Netherlands on Wednesday to win a berth in the World Cup championship match ― doing it on archrival Brazil’s soil, and just a day after Brazil was humiliated in a 7-1 loss to Germany.Thousands of Argentina fans who traveled to Brazil for the tournament wept, kissed and raised their hands to the sky when their team won 4-2 on penalty kicks, sending it to the final for the first time in more th
[World Cup] Merkel to attend final

Jul 10, 2014

This 2010 file photo shows German Chancellor Angela Merkel celebrating after a goal at the World Cup in South Africa. (AP-Yonhap)BERLIN (AP) ― Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to the World Cup final in Brazil, giving Germany’s most prominent fan perhaps her best chance yet to watch the team lift a trophy after eight years of very public support.Merkel has become a frequent sight at Germany matches since the country hosted the World Cup in 2006, a few months after she took office ― and a regu
[World Cup] Van Gaal’s luck runs out in World Cup

Jul 10, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― Louis van Gaal’s luck finally ran out at the World Cup.The Netherlands coach appeared to have a golden tactical touch in Brazil. He switched systems during matches to force victories, brought on substitutes who scored within minutes, posted a striker in defense and ― most amazingly of all ― swapped goalkeepers for a penalty shootout victory.But in the semifinals against Argentina on Wednesday, he ran out of substitutes before he could pull that trick again and his team was elimi
[World Cup] Brazil tries to shift focus to third-place match

Jul 10, 2014

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AP) ― Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and his players are trying to put the devastating semifinal loss to Germany behind them as quickly as possible, turning their focus to the farewell match at their home World Cup.Scolari on Wednesday said they have to find a way to move on, and the team already has a new objective: win the third-place game Saturday to give fans some reason to celebrate.“Life goes on, we need to look forward to our next goal, and our next goal is to wi
[World Cup] No hardware for Robben and van Persie

Jul 10, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie came up empty again.The Netherlands forwards, and the rest of the team, essentially ran out of steam Wednesday in the World Cup semifinals, losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw.How different to a month ago and the start of the tournament, when the teammates scored two goals each and the Dutch soared to a glorious 5-1 win over defending champion Spain.It was all downhill from there for the three-time World Cup runners-up
[World Cup] Hong Myung-bo resigns as nat'l football coach after winless World Cup

Jul 10, 2014

(Yonhap)Hong Myung-bo, the embattled head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, announced his resignation from the post on Thursday in the wake of the country's winless World Cup, a stunning development only a week after receiving a vote of confidence from the sport's national governing body. At a press conference held at the Korea Football Association (KFA) headquarters in Seoul, Hong said he takes the blame for South Korea's disappointing campaign in Brazil, where the country
[World Cup] Nat'l football coach Hong Myung-bo to resign after winless World Cup: official

Jul 10, 2014

Hong Myung-bo, the embattled head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, is set to announce his resignation from the post on Thursday in the wake of the country's winless World Cup, a senior official from the sport's national governing body said.The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Wednesday evening that Hong would hold a press conference the following morning at its Seoul headquarters, without specifying what the coach would discuss. The KFA official, requesting anonymity,
[World Cup] Argentina reaches World Cup final after penalties

Jul 10, 2014

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved two penalties Wednesday to send Argentina into the World Cup final with a 4-2 shootout win over the Netherlands after the game finished in a 0-0 stalemate. A day after Germany lit up the World Cup with its clinical 7-1 destruction of host Brazil, the Netherlands and Argentina could not manage a goal between them in 120 minutes before the shootout. Romero thought to be a weak link in this Argentine team and not even a starter for his Monaco club most of last season