The Korea Herald

Choi Kang-hee named new head coach for national football team

Dec 21, 2011

Choi Kang-hee, head coach for the reigning South Korean football champion, was named the new national team head coach Wednesday.Choi, 52, replaces Cho Kwang-rae, who was fired two weeks ago after South Korea fell 2-1 to Lebanon in the third round of the regional qualification for the 2014 FIFA World
Korea may name national soccer coach this week

Dec 20, 2011

South Korea could name its new national soccer head coach this week, the sport‘s top official said Tuesday.Cho Chung-yun, head of the Korea Football Association, said officials are working hard to fill the vacancy soon.“In regards to the naming of the head coach, there will be some good news this week,” Cho said. “It’s difficult to tell you about all the process, but we‘re doing our best.”Earlier this month, Cho Kwang-rae was abruptly dismissed as the national team bench boss, following Korea’s
Talk on promotion system delayed

Dec 20, 2011

The nation’s first-division football league has postponed discussions for a promotion-relegation system until next year as the league’s have-nots opposed the idea, officials said Tuesday.The K-League board of directors on Tuesday failed to reach a conclusion on adopting promotion-relegation starting in 2013 and will try to do so in January, officials said. Under the league proposal, 12 of K-League’s 16 teams at the end of each season will stay in the first division, while the four worst teams wi
Ki Sung-yueng, Ji So-yun named top players

Dec 20, 2011

Ki Sung-yueng of Celtic FC in Scotland and Ji So-yun of Kobe INAC in Japan were named Korea’s soccer players of the year on Tuesday.In a vote by 20 football journalists and eight technical officials at the Korea Football Association, Ki earned 67.5 points to edge out Lee Dong-gook, the reigning MVP in the domestic K-League, who earned 65 points, for the men’s award.Votes from journalists and KFA officials combined to select the top players. Ki, 22, has long been a fixture in the midfield for Sou
In search of a soccer leader

Dec 19, 2011

Challenges lurk in finding right man for national teamTime is almost up, but Korean football’s governing body is still struggling to find the right candidate to lead the national football team.The Korea Football Association announced earlier this month that it would appoint a new manager before the end of 2011 following its dismissal of Cho Kwang-rae.The KFA noted that the national team’s future for the 2014 World Cup is uncertain under the guidance of Cho, who is now criticizing the authority f
Chelsea settles for 1-1 draw

Dec 18, 2011

Ronaldo bags hat trick as Real routs SevillaLONDON (AP) ― Chelsea missed a chance to put pressure on the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, yielding a goal with two minutes left in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Wigan.Chelsea looked on course for a fourth straight Premier League victory when Daniel Sturridge scored his eighth goal of the season in the 59th minute. But Wigan dominated the second half and Jordi Gomez tapped in from close range after a mistake b
Madrid beats Ponferradina 2-0 in Cup

Dec 14, 2011

BARCELONA (AP) ― Real Madrid rebounded from last weekend’s league loss to Barcelona by defeating third-tier Ponferradina 2-0 Tuesday night in the Copa del Rey on goals by Jose Callejon and Cristiano Ronaldo.On a rainy night before 8,500 fans at Ponferradina, Callejon scored in the 29th minute when he redirected Sami Khedira’s bouncing cross into the net. Ronaldo, criticized for his poor play in Saturday’s 3-1 loss, doubled the lead in the 74th when he ran onto Gonzalo Higuain’s pass and shot und
Korea to consider hiring foreign coach

Dec 13, 2011

South Korea will actively consider hiring a foreign national to lead its football team, a senior official said Tuesday.Hwangbo Kwan, head of the technical committee at the Korea Football Association, said the vacant job is open for coaches from home and overseas, but officials will have “some concrete discussions” on foreign candidates.“We’re going to look at different names,” Hwangbo said following a meeting of his committee at the National Football Center here, north of Seoul. “But a lot of ou
Chelsea ends Man City’s unbeaten run in EPL

Dec 13, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City won’t be running away with the English Premier League. City’s 17-game league unbeaten streak ended as Frank Lampard converted a late penalty kick that lifted Chelsea to a 2-1 victory Monday night.“Chelsea were really lucky in this game,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “We are disappointed with this defeat but we have time to recover.”Mario Balotelli put the visitors ahead after 105 seconds, but Raul Meireles tied it in the 34th minute.Lampard replaced Meireles i
Stoke dents Spurs’ league title challenge

Dec 12, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― Tottenham’s 11-match unbeaten run ended Sunday with a 2-1 loss at Stoke in the English Premier League.Matthew Etherington, who played for Tottenham from 2000-03, scored twice in the first half to help send the Spurs to their first defeat since Aug. 28.Emmanuel Adebayor scored on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute for Tottenham, which was hurt by a red card to Younes Kaboul late in the game.Tottenham remained seven points behind Manchester City, which visits Chelsea on Monday. Stoke
Barca rallies to win at Madrid

Dec 11, 2011

United responds well to humiliating exit from Champions LeagueMADRID (AP) ― Alexis Sanchez, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas scored, and Barcelona snapped Real Madrid’s 15-match winning streak with a 3-1 victory Saturday, overcoming one of the fastest goals in clasico history.Barcelona also overtook Madrid on goal difference atop the Spanish league standings.Karim Benzema opened the scoring just 21 seconds in after Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes miskicked a clearance at Bernabeu Stadium.But
S. Korea's football association fires head coach Cho amid controversy

Dec 8, 2011

Cho Kwang-rae criticizes football governing body’s decision processThe Korea Football Association is in hot water following the sacking of the men’s national team manager. Cho Kwang-rae. The team’s 2-1 loss to Lebanon last month during Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup sealed Cho’s fate, the KF
Drogba’s two strikes secure Chelsea last 16 place

Dec 7, 2011

Drogba’s two strikes secure Chelsea last 16 placeLONDON (AP) ― With Chelsea’s Champions League progress secured with a ruthless victory over Valencia, Andre Villas-Boas had the confidence ― after weeks of pent-up frustration ― to take on his critics. The manager declared that his players had delivered a “slap in the face” to their detractors with a 3-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday that sent Chelsea through to the knockout round as the Group E winner.“(There) is a continuous persecution of Chelse
K-League champion Jeonbuk draws other Asian winners in Champions League

Dec 6, 2011

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the reigning champion of South Korea's K-League, has been paired with other Asian league winners in the group stage of the continent's top club competition next year. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that Jeonbuk has drawn Kashiwa Reysol of Ja
Lee Young-pyo joins Vancouver in Major League Soccer

Dec 6, 2011

Veteran football defensive back Lee Young-pyo has joined a club in the top North American league, his agency said Tuesday.The Seoul-based Jissen agency said Lee has inked a one-year deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer (MLS)."Lee Young-pyo agreed to the deal Monday evening in