The Korea Herald

Netherlands, Spain look to next match

Jun 15, 2014

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) ― The Netherlands team has to come back down to earth while Spain has to pick itself up and look for a way to bounce back from one of its worst defeats.The morning after the rampant Netherlands beat reigning World Cup champion Spain 5-1, emotions in the two camps were starkly different, yet the emphasis for both vastly experienced coaches was the same: refocus on the next Group B match at the World Cup.Louis van Gaal’s team was euphoric after the win that avenged, at least
[World Cup] Park looks to come through vs. Russia

Jun 15, 2014

FOZ DO IGUACU, Brazil (Yonhap) ― The objective of soccer is rather simple: Score more than the opposition.Things haven’t been quite so simple for South Korea, however, in its preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.In 16 games coached by Hong Myung-bo, who took the reins last summer, South Korea has found the back of the net just 15 times, an inflated total given that four of the goals came against an overmatched Haiti.In six matches in 2014, South Korea has scored only three goals while c
[World Cup] From the pitch to the booth

Jun 15, 2014

Park Ji-sung, Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Young-pyo among players-turned-commentators
[World Cup] Ivory Coast double downs Japan

Jun 15, 2014

Ivory Coast scored two goals in two minutes to beat Asian giants Japan 2-1 in their World Cup Group C battle on Saturday.Japan's AC Milan star Keisuke Honda knocked the Elephants groggy with a 16th minute goal to make it 1-0.But goals from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho in the 64th and 66th minutes saw Ivory Coast home. (AP-Yonhap)Honda gave Japan hope after escaping his markers at the edge of the penalty area and firing home a left foot shot that gave Boubacar Barry Copa in the Ivory Coast goal no
[World Cup] Colombia's verve sets tone in Group C at World Cup

Jun 15, 2014

Colombia's new generation unlocked Greece's notoriously steely defense with such verve that they could just have become the team to beat in Group C at the World Cup.The Colombians beat Greece 3-0 on Saturday, and didn't need star striker Radamel Falcao to do it. (AFP-Yonhap)Falcao, who was ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury, was just one among the thousands of Colombia supporters who dominated the crowd, turning Mineirao Stadium into a sea of yellow, tinged with red and blue in the
[World Cup] Costa Rica stuns Uruguay 3-1 at World Cup

Jun 15, 2014

Costa Rica came from behind to stun Uruguay 3-1 Saturday at the World Cup, opening the tough Group D with a major upset. Uruguay left star striker Luis Suarez on the bench but went ahead when Edinson Cavani scored a penalty in the 24th minute. The Central Americans fought back after the break and lone striker Joel Campbell drive in a ball headed down by Celso Borges in the 54th to beat goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Oscar Duarte dived past the outstretched foot of Uruguay's Cristian Stuani to hea
[World Cup] Balotelli goal gives Italy 2-1 win over England

Jun 15, 2014

Mario Balotelli scored with a second-half header Saturday to give Italy a 2-1 win over England at the World Cup.The Italy striker was left free by his marker Gary Cahill and nodded a cross from Antonio Candreva past goalkeeper Joe Hart in the 50th minute.Claudio Marchisio scored first for Italy, sending a long shot through a crowded area and past a diving Hart in the 35th. Daniel Sturridge equalized for England two minutes later, tapping in a cross from Wayne Rooney. (AFP-Yonhap)The win puts Ita
[World Cup] Netherlands thrashes Spain 5-1 in World Cup opener

Jun 14, 2014

SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) – Louis van Gaal, one of the game's greatest coaches, was criticized before the World Cup for being too defensive for a nation that loves attacking play.His decision to field five defenders against Spainthough, proved a masterstroke.His team thrashed the defending world champions 5-1 Friday with a clinical display of counterattacking football that had Spain chasing shadows at the end as Dutch fans roared “Ole!” each time their team passed the ball.“If you see how he prepare
S. Korean practice base disrupted by heavy downpour

Jun 14, 2014

FOZ DO IGUACU, Brazil (Yonhap) -- The third day of South Korea's training at its World Cup base camp here in Foz do Iguacu was disrupted Friday by a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning.Head coach Hong Myung-bo opened only the first 15 minutes of his team's practice to the media at Pedro Basso Stadium. When the session began in earnest, however, rain began to come down hard on the 23-man squad.South Korea had two days of sunny skies with warm temperatures here in southern Brazil before Frid
[World Cup] The beautiful game kicks off

Jun 13, 2014

All eyes on Brazil for soccer’s biggest global event
[World Cup] Korea’s path fraught with challenges

Jun 13, 2014

As in any sport, the road to victory in football lies just inches away from failure. The elusive victory cigar usually finds its way to someone willing to “fight for that inch,” as Al Pacino put it in “Any Given Sunday,” a sports classic in which he plays a football coach.But that slim difference between glory and disgrace appeared to have widened to miles, not inches, for the South Korean team on Monday. They were thumped 4-0 by Ghana in Miami, Florida, in their last friendly before the 2014 FI
[World Cup] Brazil, Italy face tough road from 16-country stage

Jun 13, 2014

Argentina, Germany expected to have easier route to semifinals
[World Cup] Cup fever needs to boost Korean soccer

Jun 13, 2014

Head of Red Devils hopes cheering will ease nation’s grief over ferry sinking
[World Cup] Korean firms gear up for World Cup marketing

Jun 13, 2014

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is expected to spur domestic sales and help companies withstand dampened demand in the wake of the Sewol ferry sinking.The global sports event is a good opportunity for consumer electronics companies to increase TV sales. Sales in World Cup years are usually 30 percent higher than the previous year. Though Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are not official sponsors of the 2014 tournament, they expect to reap similar benefits, and step up related marketing to make the
‘Defense’ becomes operative word in Korean practice

Jun 13, 2014

FOZ DO IGUACU, Brazil (Yonhap) ― With the clock ticking down to its first World Cup match in Brazil, South Korea on Thursday concentrated on shoring up its defense.For nearly two hours on the second day of training at its base camp in Foz do Iguacu, southern Brazil, South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo put his 23-man squad through a series of drills aimed at gaining an edge in ball possession and applying a forecheck on opposing ball carriers.Hong divided his outfield players into two groups of