The Korea Herald

Hong worried about media spotlight on striker Park

Mar 7, 2014

INCHEON (Yonhap) ― Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean men’s national football team, said Friday he is concerned about the excessive amount of media attention being paid to forward Park Chu-young. Hong returned from Athens, where South Korea defeated Greece 2-0 in the countries’ pre-World Cup friendly on Wednesday.Park scored the first goal in that win. It was Park’s first international appearance in more than a year, and his first goal for South Korea since November 2011. Even tho
Bundesliga's Bayer Leverkusen to visit Seoul in summer

Mar 7, 2014

Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen will visit Seoul this summer to play a South Korean opponent, the German team announced Friday.On its website, Bayer Leverkusen, which has two South Korean players, Son Heung-min and Ryu Seung-woo, said it will face FC Seoul of the K League Classic on July 30."(Son) can expect a hero's welcome when die Werkself travel to the South Korean capital Seoul as part of the club's preseason preparations this summer," Bayer Leverkusen said, referring to itself by the Germ
Ronaldo breaks scoring record

Mar 6, 2014

LEIRIA, Portugal (AP) ― Cristiano Ronaldo became Portugal’s all-time leading scorer Wednesday, netting twice as Portugal thrashed Cameroon 5-1 in a warm-up match between teams preparing for the World Cup.Ronaldo clinched his place in the record book with goals in the 21st and 83rd minutes, taking his international tally to 49. The 2013 FIFA world player of the year overtook Pauleta, who retired in 2006 after scoring 47 goals in 88 games. Ronaldo was making his 110th appearance.“I knew it would c
Few passing grades for Korea in football win over Greece

Mar 6, 2014

South Korea may have defeated Greece 2-0 in their pre-World Cup match on Wednesday in Athens, but it was a misleading result that masked some of the side’s problems.And if this game was indeed the final test for players hoping to make the World Cup team ― as head coach Hong Myung-bo had often said ― then only a few players earned passing grades. Others failed spectacularly.Forward Park Chu-young, who opened the scoring in the 17th, deserves an A, though he only played the opening half.In his fir
Korea beats Greece in pre-World Cup friendly

Mar 6, 2014

Opportunistic on offense and fortunate on defense, South Korea defeated Greece 2-0 in their pre-World Cup friendly match on Wednesday. South Korea solved the usually stingy Greek defense once in each half, as forward Park Chu-young scored his first international goal in more than two years, and winger Son Heung-min added insurance later at Karaiskakis Stadium. The 61st-ranked South Korea improved to three wins and a draw all-time against the No. 12 Greece. Since head coach Hong Myung-bo took
Madrid, Robben headline soccer poll

Mar 5, 2014

LONDON (AP) ― Real Madrid’s 6-1 thrashing of Schalke followed by its 2-2 draw with La Liga title rival Atletico Madrid sent it to the top of this week’s Associated Press global soccer poll.Madrid edged Bayern Munich by three points to take team of the week honors for the second time this season.It was even closer in the player poll, where Munich’s Arjen Robben beat Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo by two votes.Robben scored a hat trick in Bayern’s 5-1 Bundesliga victory, also against Schalke, and runn
Doral is a familiar place that no one recognizes

Mar 5, 2014

DORAL, Florida (AP) ― Steve Stricker usually doesn’t show up at a tournament on Sunday. He made an exception for the Cadillac Championship, and it made perfect sense.And not just because snow is in the forecast at home in Wisconsin.This is the 20-year anniversary of the first time Stricker played the Blue Monster at Doral.Now it seems as if he’s on a blind date.“You know you’re at Doral, but it doesn’t feel anything like it,” Stricker said Tuesday. “A few holes, they haven’t changed. But then yo
Putting it on the line

Mar 4, 2014

ATHENS (Yonhap) ― As he wrapped up his first practice on Monday with the South Korean men’s national soccer team getting ready to face Greece, forward Park Chu-young said there will be no excuse for him to be out of form despite his lack of playing time of late.Park, of Watford in England’s second division, has been named to the squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Greece. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. in the Greek capital, or 2 a.m. on Thursday in South Korea. The 28-year-old is on the na
Brazil down to 100 days to get all ready

Mar 4, 2014

SAO PAULO (AP) ― Brazil is running out of time.World Cup organizers will mark 100 days to go on Tuesday with work still to be done on stadiums and infrastructure in the 12 host cities.As national teams enter their final phase of preparations ― Wednesday in the only date this year before mid-May that all players are available to national teams for exhibitions ― the Brazilian government is trying to ensure the country will be prepared for the 32-nation tournament, which opens June 12. Brazil had n
Man City wins League Cup title

Mar 3, 2014

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City staged a second-half comeback to beat Sunderland 3-1 in the League Cup final on Sunday, with exquisite goals from Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri inside two minutes sparking the recovery.Returning to the stadium where Roberto Mancini’s City career ended in an FA Cup final loss last May, further Wembley misery appeared to be beckoning when Fabio Borini put Premier League struggler Sunderland in front after 10 minutes.Instead, City, which has now scored 121 goals this seas
National soccer team prepares for Greece clash

Mar 3, 2014

ATHENS (Yonhap) ― Members of the South Korean men’s national soccer team arrived Sunday in Athens, the site of their upcoming friendly match against Greece, as players braced themselves for competition within the squad.South Korea is scheduled to take on Greece at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Greek capital, or 2 a.m. on Thursday in South Korea.Head coach Hong Myung-bo arrived from South Korea with eight players from the domestic and Asian leagues, while several others playing in Europe and the Mid
K League set to kick off season

Mar 3, 2014

The top South Korean professional soccer league will kick off its new season at the weekend with some of the usual suspects ready to battle for supremacy once again.The 12-team K League Classic will open its 2014 season on Saturday with three matches, including the rematch of last season’s dramatic finale between the champs Pohang Steelers and the runner-up Ulsan Hyundai.Ulsan held a two-point lead on Pohang heading into that match and needed only a draw to clinch their first championship in eig
Nat'l football team lands in Greece as players brace for competition

Mar 3, 2014

Members of the South Korean men's national football team arrived Sunday in Athens, the site of their upcoming friendly match against Greece, as players braced themselves for competition within the squad.South Korea is scheduled to take on Greece at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Greek capital, or 2 a.m. on Thursday in South Korea.Head coach Hong Myung-bo arrived from South Korea with eight players from the domestic and Asian leagues, while several others playing in Europe and Middle East traveled se
Chelsea builds lead in EPL

Mar 2, 2014

LONDON (AP) ― As the tightest English Premier League title race in years is playing out, the Bundesliga is witnessing its most one-sided.Although Chelsea moved four points clear at the top of the English standings with a 3-1 victory at Fulham on Saturday, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City remain in close reach. In Germany, though, Bayern Munich powered a Bundesliga record 20-points clear after 23 games by beating Schalke 5-1.Chelsea recovered from a sluggish first-half performance to see of
Hiddink may take helm of Netherlands

Mar 2, 2014

AMSTERDAM (AP) ― Guus Hiddink says he is pulling together a team to assist him as the next Netherlands coach.Louis van Gaal has already announced he will step down after the World Cup in Brazil, but the Netherlands Football Association has not yet confirmed Hiddink’s appointment.The Dutch FA said Saturday it had no comment.“I am busy with the KNVB putting together the whole team I want,” Hiddink said in a Friday night radio interview. “That’s going to take a few days or weeks.” Van Gaal has rebu