Ki Sung-yeung, a member of the South Korean national soccer team, is embroiled in controversy after using the wrong hand in a ceremonial salute at the start of a friendly match on Wednesday.  (OSEN)In the World Cup send-off match against Tunisia in Seoul, Ki put his left hand over the right side of his chest during the national anthem. Under the Korean flag act, Koreans not in uniform are asked to put their right hand over the left side of the chest and look at the national flag during the anthe

Kim Young-kwon fights for the ball in the international home friendly soccer match against Tunisia held on Wednesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. YonhapThe South Korean national soccer team lost on home soil Wednesday night against Tunisia 1-0, in its last international home friendly before the World Cup.Korea held possession for most of the first half, but midfielder Zouhaier Dhaouadi scored in the 44th minute with the only goal of the match.Although coach Hong Myung-bo said the team would play

On the eve of his team’s showdown against South Korea, Tunisian head coach Georges Leekens said Tuesday he hopes to give the home side a good test ahead of the FIFA World Cup.The 49th-ranked Tunisia will take on the 55th-ranked South Korea at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. The kickoff is at 8 p.m. It will be South Korea’s last match at home prior to the June 12-July 13 World Cup in Brazil. Tunisia didn’t qualify for the tournament.At a prematch press conference at the venue of the match,

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of South Korean men’s national football team, said Tuesday he will try to address the squad’s lingering defensive issues in an upcoming friendly against Tunisia at home.South Korea, ranked 55th, will host No. 49 Tunisia at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. It will be the final match at home for Hong’s squad before the World Cup.South Korea will travel to Miami on Friday and will take on Ghana there on June 9. Hong’s team will take on Russia, Algeria and Br

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Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo (Yonhap)South Korea’s World Cup team closed off its practice on Friday, officials said, though there was no strategic reasoning behind the move.“There really isn’t a special reason for holding practice behind closed doors,” an official with the Korea Football Association said. “The team just wanted to train in a quiet setting.” This will be the second time that South Korea will practice without the media since opening the camp on May 12 at the National Football Cen

South Korea has assembled its youngest-ever World Cup squad for this year’s tournament in Brazil, with defensive back Kwak Tae-hwi the oldest member at age 32.He’s the only player over 30 on a team that is on average 25.9 years old, nearly two years younger than the previous World Cup team from four years ago.In a culture where seniority can often take precedence over merit in hierarchy, it is easy to imagine Kwak as the forceful voice over younger teammates off the field.Yet in an interview bef

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal was hired as Manchester United’s manager on Monday, tasked with repairing the damage from David Moyes’ disappointing 10 months in charge and reviving the fortunes of one of the world’s biggest clubs.The 62-year-old Dutchman has signed a three-year contract and will take over at Old Trafford after the World Cup in Brazil, becoming the first United manager from outside Britain and Ireland. United great Ryan Giggs will be his assistant.“To

Former head coaches of the South Korean national team on Tuesday offered words of encouragement to this year’s World Cup squad, saying they should take on the upcoming challenge with confidence.Six of the past bench bosses joined the current head coach, Hong Myung-bo, for a luncheon at the National Football Center, the team’s practice ground in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.At a press conference ahead of their meeting, the former coaches said the 23 players on this year’s World Cup team have a wealth

Arsenal players celebrate after winning the English FA Cup in London on Saturday. ( AFP-Yonhap)LONDON (AP) ― Doused in champagne by Arsenal’s victorious players, Arsene Wenger was a success again.The nine-year wait for a trophy was over, and the manager, who had felt the pressure of the drought, could finally celebrate on the Wembley Stadium field. For the fifth time in Wenger’s 14 years, the Gunners are FA Cup winners.Aaron Ramsey scored in extra time to clinch a 3-2 victory over Hull on Saturd