The Korea Herald

Feetless Brazilian boy to train with Barcelona

Aug 29, 2012

Playing soccer without feet seems virtually impossible, but not for Gabriel Muniz.　The 11-year-old who was born without feet has been invited to train with F.C. Barcelona, local media reported.Despite the obstacle, Gabriel managed to become one of the top players in his school. Although he wears a foot-ankle prosthesis for his everyday life, Gabriel chooses to discard them when he plays soccer. Jose Lopes, Gabriel’s P.E. coach, believes that Gabriel will be able to create opportunities for himse
Getafe shocks Real Madrid

Aug 27, 2012

MADRID (AP) ― Defending champion Real Madrid has made its worst start to a season in 39 years after losing 2-1 at Getafe on Sunday to stay winless following two rounds of the Spanish league and sit five points adrift of Barcelona.Madrid had led after 27 minutes through Gonzalo Higuain, before Juan Valera equalized for Getafe in the 55th. Another defensive lapse led to Abdelaziz Barrada scoring the winner from a counterattack in the 75th.Madrid hasn’t begun a season without a victory in the first
Soccer’s ‘split system’ a success: experts

Aug 27, 2012

The “split system” introduced to the nation’s first-division soccer league has enjoyed rousing success, experts said Monday, as it has led to inspired play on the field and generated excitement in the stands.For the 2012 season, the K-League adopted the split system, in which the 16 clubs would be divided into two groups, eight teams apiece, based on their records after 30 matches, two apiece against each other. The teams completed that phase on Sunday.The teams are then to play 14 more games ag
Ki, Swansea complete deal

Aug 26, 2012

Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng signed with Swansea on Friday to become the most expensive Korean player in the English Premier League.The 23-year-old made the move from the Scottish champion Celtic to the South Wales club after signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. It has been reported that the Olympic bronze medalist cost the Premier League club a club-record 6 million pounds ($9.5 million).“When I look at Swansea I see a club that is growing and growing, and the style here is very at
Van Persie boosts United

Aug 26, 2012

LONDON (AP) ― Robin van Persie scored his first goal for Manchester United in the Premier League as his side came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday.Damien Duff had given Fulham a surprise lead in the third minute, before the Netherlands striker met Patrice Evra’s cross with a neat left-footed flick into the far corner of Mark Schwarzer’s goal seven minutes later.Shinji Kagawa also scored his first for United in the 35th and Rafael Da Silva added a third with a header, gi
Swansea hopes to seal Ki deal

Aug 24, 2012

LONDON (AFP) ― Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is confident of completing the club-record signing of South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng from Celtic on Friday.Laudrup’s club have agreed a fee of around 6 million pounds with the Scottish champions for Ki, who helped his country win a bronze medal at the London Olympics.The 23-year-old, who has yet to return to Celtic this season as he tries to secure a move, will travel to south Wales for a medical and contract talks and Laudrup expects the deal
Olympic footballer qualified for military exemption without medal: official

Aug 24, 2012

South Korean soccer player Park Jong-woo carries a sign given by a fan that reads “Dokdo Is Our Territory,” after winning the bronze medal match against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics on Friday. ( Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)Footballer Park Jong-woo will still be eligible for military exemption despite not having collected his bronze medal from the London Olympics following his post-victory celeb
Chelsea rallies to beat newcomer Reading

Aug 23, 2012

LONDON (AP) ― Fernando Torres scored the go-ahead goal from what appeared to be an offside position in the 81st minute, helping European champion Chelsea rally past Reading 4-2 in the Premier League on Wednesday night.The unmarked Torres tapped the ball into the net from Ashley Cole’s cross for a 3-2 lead. Torres didn’t get his first league goal last season until Sept. 18 and he finished with just six.“It was clearly offside which was really disappointing,” said Reading manager Brian McDermott,
Ki Sung-yueng confident of good career in Premier League

Aug 23, 2012

As he poises to join the English Premier League, South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng said Thursday he is confident he will fit right in.Reports out of Britain said Ki has agreed in principle to join Swansea City in Wales. Ki left South Korea Thursday for London, apparently to finalize his transfer from Celtic FC in Scotland, a transaction reportedly worth 5 million pounds.“It’s an honor to play in such a world class league that I’ve only watched on television,” Ki told reporters at Incheon Int
Korean Ki Sung-yueng agrees 'in principle' to join Swansea City: official

Aug 23, 2012

South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng has agreed "in principle" to join Swansea City in the English Premier League, a team official said early Thursday, Korean time.In an interview with Scotland STV, Swansea City Chairman Huw Jenkins said Ki is expected to travel to Wales, where the club is based, to finalize the deal "in the next 48 hours.""We're very excited of the prospect of signing Ki who wil
Ki highest value Korean in EPL

Aug 22, 2012

Swansea City’s accepted bid for Ki Sung-yueng and the reported transfer fee could make the midfielder the most expensive Korean player ever to play in the English Premier League.The Celtic midfielder is set to move to the Welsh club after chairman Huw Jenkins confirmed that his club has agreed on a fee for the 23-year-old.It is reported that the South Wales club will pay around 6 million British pounds ($9.5 million).Before the bid for Ki, Park Ji-sung boasted the highest transfer fee for a Kore
Dynamo Kiev, Celtic close in on next round

Aug 22, 2012

Glasgow Celtic and Dynamo Kiev moved into commanding positions to reach the Champions League group stage after road wins Tuesday night in the first leg of the final round of qualifying.Kris Commons scored on a volley in the second minute and Georgios Samaras got a goal on a header off a corner kick in the 75th, giving Celtic a 2-0 victory at Sweden’s Helsingborg as the Scottish champions look to reach Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in four years.Kiev rallied to win 3-1 at Ger
Soccer caught in politics

Aug 22, 2012

Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean men’s Olympic soccer team, on Wednesday expressed his dismay at local officials’ handling of the aftermath of a player’s celebration at the London Olympics.At a press conference discussing the country’s bronze medal-winning performance, Hong said Park Jong-woo, the player in question, deserves the medal that he has yet to collect. South Korea defeated Japan 2-0 to take the bronze, the country’s first Olympic football medal, but Park was barred fr
Korean teen joins Spanish youth team

Aug 21, 2012

A South Korean teen soccer player has joined a youth club under a top-division Spanish team, officials announced Tuesday.Sim Seong-ho, 14, is the latest member of the U14 squad under Real Valladolid in Spain. The Busan-native left wingback is a beneficiary of the national youth development project by the Hong Myung-bo Scholarship Foundation, run by the former South Korean national team captain and the current Olympic football team head coach.Since July 2008, Hong’s foundation has been sending te
Man United stunned by Everton in opener

Aug 21, 2012

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) ― Marouane Fellaini headed in a corner kick from Darron Gibson in the 57th minute, giving Everton a season-opening 1-0 upset win over Manchester United on Monday night.After losing the Premier League title to rival Manchester City on goal difference last May on the final day of a trophyless season, United lost at Goodison Park for just the fourth time in 21 Premier League meetings.“I don’t think anybody tonight was considering Everton at all,” Everton manager David Moyes