The Korea Herald

Barcelona loses Messi but cruises to win at Betis

Nov 11, 2013

Barcelona lost Lionel Messi to another leg injury but still had more than enough firepower to win 4-1 at struggling Real Betis and capitalize on a stumble by title rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday.Things looked grim for the defending champions when Messi suffered his third leg injury of the season and asked to be substituted in the 21st minute, as Barcelona came under pressure.But Cesc Fabregas stepped in by scoring two goals and making another in a convincing victory before he was replaced late
Son scores 3 against former team

Nov 10, 2013

Chelsea salvages draw against West Bromwich
FC Seoul falls short of AFC Champions League title vs. Guangzhou

Nov 10, 2013

The reigning South Korean football champ FC Seoul fell short of the continental club title against Guangzhou Evergrande of China here on Saturday.In the second leg of the AFC Champions League final at Tianhe Stadium, FC Seoul and Guangzhou ended in a 1-1 draw, for the aggregate score of 3-3. Guangzhou emerged the AFC champion thanks to the away goals rule, which gives more weight to goals scored in road matches if the aggregate score is tied.The two clubs drew 2-2 in the first leg at Seoul World
Rival coach resigns in player gender identity scandal

Nov 8, 2013

A head coach of a local women's football club has resigned after controversially joining fellow coaches in demanding a star player on a rival squad take a gender verification test.Lee Sung-gyun, bench boss for Suwon FMC in the WK-League, offered to step down late Thursday, after he'd organized a meeting among six coaches in which they raised questions about the gender identity of Park Eun-seon, striker on the seventh WK-League club, Seoul City Hall Amazones.The coaches had agreed to boycott comp
FC Seoul eyeing continental trophy in China

Nov 8, 2013

The reigning South Korean football champion FC Seoul will be eyeing a prestigious continental trophy in China on the weekend as they take on Guangzhou Evergrande in the second leg of the AFC Champions League final.The match will be held at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou on Saturday at 8 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. in Korea.The two clubs played to a 2-2 draw in the opening leg at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 26, as FC Seoul's Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic scored a late equalizer for the dra
K League postpones decision on split system

Nov 7, 2013

The nation’s top professional soccer league said Thursday it has postponed a decision on whether to maintain the current competition format for next season.Following its board meeting, the K League, which operates the top division K League Classic, said it will wait until later this month to determine whether the split system will be retained for 2014.Under the system this year, the league’s 14 clubs were “split” into two tiers based on their records after 26 games. They are then to play 12 more
Messi, Higuain and Eto'o shine in Champions League

Nov 7, 2013

Lionel Messi returned to form with two goals as Barcelona secured its spot in the knockout stage of the Champions League. Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Eto'o scored for his fourth different team.On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game he'll want to forget. His failed clearance led to Eto'o's opening goal in Chelsea's 3-0 win, which put Jose Mourinho's side atop Group E.Barcelona mad
Bayern, City advance in Champions League

Nov 6, 2013

Defending champion Bayern Munich advanced to the second round of the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night, and Manchester City reached the final 16 for the first time by routing CSKA Moscow 5-2.Real Madrid came from behind in a 2-2 tie at Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain rallied for a 1-1 draw at Anderlecht, leaving the Spanish and French clubs on the verge of second-round berths.Mario Mandzukic scored a header in the 65th minute for Group D leader Bayern (4-0), si
New Asiad soccer coach confident of gold medal

Nov 5, 2013

The newly named head coach of South Korean men’s soccer team at next year’s Asian Games said Tuesday he’s confident of winning the continental gold medal on home soil.Lee Kwang-jong, appointed Monday as the bench boss of the squad, said he feels the South Korean players are “in the upper echelon” in the region, and that they should be able to reach the top of the podium when Incheon, a metropolitan city just west of Seoul, hosts the Asian Games next September.“I’ve watched our youth players for
Kim Shin-wook back on national team

Nov 4, 2013

Arsenal’s Park Chu-young passed over yet again
Roma’s win streak ends vs. Torino

Nov 4, 2013

Roma’s record 10-game winning streak to start the Serie A season came to an end Sunday as it was held to a 1-1 draw by Torino, thanks to an equalizer by its former player Alessio Cerci.Roma was the first Italian club to win its opening 10 matches but fell one game short of equaling the best start in any of the top five European leagues, set by English club Tottenham in 1960-61.Roma moved three points above Juventus and Napoli, who play each other next week. Inter Milan and newly promoted Hellas
Domestic league striker back on nat'l team with Arsenal's Park outside looking in

Nov 4, 2013

Streaking domestic league striker Kim Shin-wook made it back on the national football team on Monday for two friendly matches set for later this month.Much-maligned forward Park Chu-young, meanwhile, remained on the outside looking in, despite making his long-awaited appearance for Arsenal in the English Premier League last week.Head coach Hong Myung-bo announced the team of 23 players for the Nov. 15 match against Switzerland at home and the Nov. 19 contest against Russia in Dubai.Kim, a toweri
Arsenal beat Liverpool to go five clear, United and City stroll

Nov 3, 2013

LONDON (AFP) ― Arsenal reasserted their title credentials on Saturday with an impressive 2-0 victory over Liverpool that sent them five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.Arsene Wenger had seen his side beaten by Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea in their previous two home games, but they prevailed through goals from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey to confirm their role as the team to beat.Liverpool arrived at the Emirates Stadium hoping to leapfrog Arsenal to the top of the table, b
Korea to face Russia in friendly

Nov 1, 2013

South Korea will take on Russia in an upcoming football friendly match in Dubai, officials said Friday.The Korea Football Association said South Korea and Russia will clash in Dubai on Nov. 19, but said the venue and the starting time have not yet been determined.It will be the first friendly match between the two countries. Russia, ranked 19th, will face Serbia on Nov. 15 in Dubai before facing South Korea. The 58th-ranked South Korea will host Switzerland in Seoul on Nov. 15.Both countries hav
Bale, Ronaldo lift Madrid past Sevilla

Oct 31, 2013

MADRID (AP) ― Gareth Bale finally made his mark at Real Madrid on Wednesday, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to upstage his two-goal performance with a hat-trick in a 7-3 victory over Sevilla.The Welshman celebrated his first league start at the Santiago Bernabeu by scoring twice and setting up two more.But it was Ronaldo who responded to FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s mocking of the Portugal forward with a celebration slight of his own as he passed Ferenc Puskas with his 157th league goal for Madrid,