The Korea Herald

3 Korean clubs finish atop groups

May 12, 2011

Three of the four South Korean K-League clubs have reached the knockout stage of the ongoing Asian Football Confederation Champions League, each of them securing home games in the next round.FC Seoul, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Samsung Bluewings finished with the best records in Groups F, G and H, respectively.Jeju United, the fourth K-League club in the competition, ended in third place in
Barcelona clinch Spanish league title

May 12, 2011

Club rolls to third-straight championshipBARCELONA (AP) ― Barcelona players sprayed each other with bubbly and fans celebrated by lighting flares.A title that had appeared inevitable for weeks finally was clinched with two games to spare when Barcelona tied 1-1 at Levante on Wednesday night to win Spain’s La Liga for the third straight season.“We have been very united this year. That has been very
Jeju facing must-win situation

May 10, 2011

Club looks to join other K-League teams in next roundThe Asian Champions League has been going well for South Korean teams again this year. In 2010, all four of the nation’s representatives reached the last eight. That is unlikely this time, but there is nothing wrong with that ― such an achievement is unprecedented in Asia.Still, as the group stage of the 32 team competition, made up eight groups
AC Milan clinch 18th Serie A title

May 8, 2011

Berlusconi’s club rumbles to its first Italian championship since 2004ROME (AP) ― AC Milan ended five years of dominance by city rival Inter Milan, clinching its first Serie A title since 2004 with a 0-0 draw at Roma on Saturday night.Owned by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, AC Milan ended a streak of five straight league titles by Inter, tied Inter with 18 overall titles and closed within nine
Cho to call up young guns in June

May 3, 2011

South Korean national team manager Cho Kwang-rae has announced that he will call up his best players, including some of the country’s rising young stars, for two friendly games in June, much to the dismay of U23 team manager Hong Myong-bo.Cho said earlier that he would take the strongest available squad for the home friendly against Serbia on June 3 and also Ghana on June 7 in preparation for 2014
Park Ji-sung sets sights on final

May 3, 2011

It is becoming almost commonplace but fans in South Korea shouldn’t take it for granted. Park Ji-sung is currently playing in his fourth set of UEFA Champions League semifinals. His two successes should become three with Wednesday’s second leg (3:45 a.m. Thursday Korean time) between Manchester United and Schalke 04 of Germany.The English Premier League team won the first leg 2-0 in Gelsenkirchen
Jung nets French debut goal

May 2, 2011

Auxerre’s forward Jung Jo-gook scored his debut goal in the French top-division league just six minutes after coming on as a late substitute as the team drew 1-1 on Sunday with Marseille.Jung, who joined the French side earlier this year, had started only one game this season, and failed to score a goal in his 10 appearances.Jung Jo-gook celebrates his goal. (AP-Yonhap News)But on Sunday, the Kore
One-year football genius joins pro club

Apr 29, 2011

A Dutch pro-football club has hired a 1-year-old prodigy whose kicking skill is fascinating more than one million viewers on YouTube. (YouTube)A video clip showing the boy, Baerke van der Meij, shooting three balls into a toy box has attracted over 1.24 million viewers since it was posted on April 18.He has signed a 10-year contract with VVV-Venlo club where his grandfather was once a player. “The
Messi gives Barcelona 2-0 win

Apr 28, 2011

MADRID (AP) ― Lionel Messi’s clutch scoring was overshadowed by the loud complaining from the other side.Messi lit up an ill-tempered Champions League semifinal on Wednesday with two goals in the last 15 minutes to give Barcelona a 2-0 victory against short-handed Real Madrid.Messi sent substitute Ibrahim Afellay’s cross through the legs of goalkeeper Iker Casillas to open the scoring in the 76th
Schalke seek Man U upset

Apr 26, 2011

Manager Ralf Rangnick expects a close matchGELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) ― Two weeks after knocking out title holder Inter Milan, an unheralded Schalke side is looking to cause another major upset in the Champions League when it plays Manchester United in the first leg of the semifinals on Tuesday.Schalke considers itself a total underdog against the three-time champion. But the Bundesliga team was
Arsenal’s title hopes fade with 2-1 defeat

Apr 25, 2011

Monaco’s Park Chu-young (center) vies with Rennes’ goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez. Monaco won 1-0. AFP-(Yonhap News)Celtic, Rangers battle to scoreless drawLONDON (AP) ― Arsenal’s slim hopes of winning the Premier League were virtually extinguished Sunday on a last-minute goal by Bolton substitute Tamir Cohen in a 2-1 loss.The Israel midfielder, who came on in the 85th minute, glanced in a near-post h
Jeonbuk sink Cerezo Osaka

Apr 21, 2011

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the only team among four South Korean K-League representatives to earn a victory this week at an ongoing continental club competition, while two Korean teams suffered defeats and another was held to a draw.At home in Jeonju, 243 kilometers south of Seoul, on Wednesday, Jeonbuk beat Cerezo Osaka 1-0 to move into first place in Group G of the Asian Football Confederation
Ronaldo seals dramatic cup win

Apr 21, 2011

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) ― Cristiano Ronaldo headed home the winner in extra time as Real Madrid ended an 18-year Copa del Rey trophy drought with a 1-0 victory over biggest rival Barcelona on Wednesday.Ronaldo guided Angel Di Maria’s 103rd-minute pass back across goal and past the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto into the top corner as Madrid won silverware for the first time since a
Seoul, Seongnam look for spark

Apr 20, 2011

The 2011 K-League season is proving to be nothing if not unpredictable. Usual minnows such as Daejeon Citizen, Daegu FC and Sangju Sangmu are enjoying the rarified air near the top of the standings while there are some prestigious names floundering in the depths of the 16-team league. Just take a look at FC Seoul and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Seoul lifted the domestic title in December just a month a
Lee, Bolton stumble out of FA Cup

Apr 18, 2011

Stoke City bag 5-0 win at Wembley StadiumIt was a match he had dreamed of playing. Lee Chung-yong of Bolton Wanderers tried to reach the English FA Cup final, but his dream ended bitterly on Sunday as the team lost to Stoke City 5-0 in the semifinals at Wembley Stadium.The Korean midfielder revealed he was hugely disappointed to be knocked out of the FA Cup, admitting that his team had played its