Controversy-ridden KFT chief vows to 'rebuild trust' for soccer federation, national team

Chung Mong-gyu, incumbent president of the Korea Football Association, officially announced his bid for a fourth term at the nation's top soccer governing body on Thursday while vowing to earn back the trust of Koreans toward the soccer federation. The 62-year-old said he would gladly accept criticism of irregularities in the KFA's operation during his tenure, adding he would work to rebuild public confidence in the federation and the national team. "As a person who worked hard wi

Dec. 19, 2024

S. Korea to host top East Asian football tournament in 2025

South Korea will host the top East Asian football tournament next summer, a decision reached during the executive meeting of the sport's regional governing body earlier this week. The East Asian Football Federation said Thursday that South Korea will stage the 2025 EAFF E-1 Championship from July 7 to 16 next year. The East Asian competition was first held in 2003, and South Korea previously hosted the event in 2005, 2013 and 2019. The country won the tournament in 2003, 2008, 2015, 2017 an

Dec. 19, 2024

S. Korean teen sensation Yang Min-hyeok 'excited' to join captain Sonny at Tottenham

After taking the South Korean league by storm this year, the 18-year-old sensation Yang Min-hyeok left for London on Monday to join Tottenham Hotspur in the middle of their season. Yang will also get to meet Spurs' South Korean-born captain Son Heung-min, 14 years his senior and a living legend from whom Yang wants to learn as he embarks on his own Premier League career. "I am excited to be joining the club. It would be an honor to play with Son and I would be grateful for that opportu

Dec. 16, 2024

Son Heung-min becomes Tottenham's all-time Premier League assists leader

With two helpers in his latest match, Son Heung-min has become Tottenham Hotspur's all-time leader in assists in Premier League play. Son scored a goal and set up two others in Tottenham's 5-0 rout of Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England, on Sunday (local time). The captain of Spurs scored the 2-0 goal in the 12th minute and then assisted Pape Sarr's goal in the 25th minute that put Tottenham up 4-0. Son then had his second assist of the match on James Ma

Dec. 16, 2024

Incumbent KFA chief Chung Mong-gyu cleared to run for 4th term

The incumbent national football chief Chung Mong-gyu was cleared by the top national sports body to go for his fourth term Wednesday. According to the Korea Football Association, the Commission for Fair Play in Sport at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee gave Chung the green light to run in the Jan. 8, 2025 election. Per KSOC regulations, heads of national sports federations seeking reelection beyond the second term must be approved by the fair play commission. The commission reviewed Chun

Dec. 11, 2024

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min nets 4th goal of season in loss to Chelsea

Son Heung-min's fourth goal of the ongoing Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur was not enough to prevent a loss to Chelsea at home in London. Son's stoppage-time goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the British capital on Sunday proved to be too little, too late, as Spurs blew a 2-0 lead and fell 4-3. The goal was Son's fourth of the Premier League and fifth in all competitions. He has a goal from the UEFA Europa League. The loss extended Tottenham's winless skid to t

Dec. 9, 2024

Daegu FC coach seeks balanced attack after Brazilian stars save day

Daegu FC leaned on their Brazilian attacking duo of Cesinha and Edgar to survive a tough playoff match against a second-division foe and secure a spot in the top league for next year. And Daegu's head coach Park Chang-hyun believes overreliance on the tandem is not a sustainable formula for success. Daegu defeated Chungnam Asan FC 6-5 in the aggregate score in their two-legged K League promotion-relegation playoff. After dropping the opening leg 4-3 last Thursday, Daegu prevailed 3-1 in the

Dec. 2, 2024

Daegu FC to stay in K League 1 after beating Chungnam Asan in playoff

Daegu FC will stay in the top South Korean football league next year after narrowly winning a playoff against a second-division opponent Sunday. Lee Chan-dong scored in extra time for Daegu, after the Brazilian attackers Cesinha and Edgar had a goal apiece for a 3-1 victory over 10-man Chungnam Asan FC in the second leg of the K League promotion-relegation playoff at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Chungnam Asan had won the opening leg 4-3 on Thursday but Daegu c

Dec. 1, 2024

Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo voted 2024 K League 1 MVP

Ulsan HD FC goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo has been voted the MVP of the top South Korean football league in 2024. Jo beat out Anderson Oliveira of Suwon FC and Yang Min-hyeok of Gangwon FC for the top individual award in the K League 1 on Friday. Jo earned 75 out of 116 votes from the media, eight out of 12 votes from K League 1 head coaches, and seven out of 12 votes from club captains. Those totals were converted to 63.36 points, with Anderson Oliveira finishing a distant second with 20.26 points. Y

Nov. 29, 2024

Gangwon's teen phenom Yang Min-hyeok voted top rookie in 2024 K League 1 season

Gangwon FC's teen sensation Yang Min-hyeok was named the best rookie in the top South Korean football league on Friday. Yang, 18, topped the voting for the Young Player of the Year honor in the K League 1, holding off Hwang Jae-won of Daegu FC and Hong Yun-sang of Pohang Steelers. Yang collected 115 out of 116 votes from the media, 11 out of 12 votes from the league's head coaches, and 10 out of 12 votes from team captains. Those voting totals were converted to 92.16 voting points. Pla

Nov. 29, 2024

S. Korea drop 1 spot to No. 23 in latest FIFA rankings

South Korea dropped a spot to No. 23 in the latest FIFA men's rankings released on Friday. According to FIFA, South Korea fell to No. 23 with 1,585.45 points, down from 1,589.93 points. South Korea had a win and a draw in their two most recent matches, beating Kuwait 3-1 on Nov. 14 but being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Palestine on Nov. 19 in the Asian qualification tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Palestine were ranked 100th then and they, too, slipped a spot to 101st. South Korea w

Nov. 29, 2024

Son Heung-min scores penalty in Europa League draw vs. Roma

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has scored his first continental goal of the season, doing so in a draw versus AS Roma in London in the UEFA Europa League. Son opened the scoring for Spurs with a penalty goal in the fifth minute in the league phase match of the second-tier competition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Thursday. After Evan N'Dicka equalized for Roma in the 20th minute, Brennan Johnson gave Spurs a 2-1 lead in the 33rd minute. However, Tottenham settled for a draw

Nov. 29, 2024

Kim Min-jae scores for Bayern in Champions League win over Lee Kang-in's PSG

In a first UEFA Champions League showdown between South Korean players in 13 years, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich scored his first continental goal against Paris Saint-Germain, featuring countryman Lee Kang-in. The rare goal by the South Korean center back proved decisive as Bayern defeated PSG 1-0 at Allianz Arena in Munich on Tuesday during the league phase of the top European club competition. With their second victory of the competition, Bayern improved to six points, ranking 19th among 36 co

Nov. 27, 2024

Ulsan chasing domestic double, Pohang going for 2nd straight title at top natl. football tournament

Deuces will be wild in the final of the top national football tournament at the end of November, when two regional rivals in the top-flight K League 1 will clash for supremacy. Ulsan HD FC and Pohang Steelers will square off in the one-and-done final of the Korea Cup tournament at 3 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Ulsan will go for a domestic double, having clinched the K League 1 title earlier this month with two matches left on the season. It would be their second Korea Cup. Pohang

Nov. 21, 2024

With tumultuous year done, natl. football team players want to make fans happy in 2025

What has been a roller coaster of a year for the South Korean men's national team ended Tuesday night in Jordan, where the 22nd-ranked team settled for a 1-1 draw against world No. 100 Palestine in a World Cup qualifying match. It was South Korea's sixth Group B match in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers and also their last international match of 2024. It closed the book on one of the most tumultuous years in South Korean football in recent memory, a season that feature

Nov. 20, 2024

Despite draw vs. Palestine, S. Korea poised for World Cup berth past halfway point in qualifiers

South Korea passed the halfway point in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualification tournament on Tuesday in Jordan the same way they started it two months ago: a draw against Palestine. With four matches remaining, the Taegeuk Warriors are still comfortably leading Group B with 14 points from four wins and two draws, six clear of Jordan and Iraq before the end of their matches Tuesday, despite some lingering lineup questions. The top two teams from the group at the conclusion of the ro

Nov. 20, 2024

S. Korea held by Palestine as winning streak ends in World Cup qualifiers

South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Palestine on Tuesday as their winning streak in the Asian World Cup qualifiers came to an end at four. Captain Son Heung-min netted the equalizer for 22nd-ranked South Korea in the 16th minute, four minutes after Palestine, world No. 100, had scored first at Amman International Stadium in Amman in the teams' Group B match in the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was Son's 51st international goal, giving him sol

Nov. 20, 2024

S. Korea held by Palestine as winning streak ends in World Cup qualifiers

South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Palestine on Tuesday as their winning streak in the Asian World Cup qualifiers came to an end at four. Captain Son Heung-min netted the equalizer in the 16th minute, four minutes after Palestine had scored first at Amman International Stadium in Amman in the teams' Group B match in the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was Son's 51st international goal, giving him sole possession of second place on South Korea&

Nov. 20, 2024

Riding high, S. Korea looking to stretch winning streak vs. Palestine

It was barely two months ago that South Korea were held to a goalless draw by underdogs Palestine to begin the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Boos rained down from disgruntled fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sept. 5, some voicing their displeasure with the controversial hiring of Hong Myung-bo as head coach, and others letting their feelings known about the team's lackluster showing. Defender Kim Min-jae even argued with some fans in the stands after

Nov. 17, 2024

Coach Hong cites single-minded focus as key to success in World Cup qualifying

South Korea men's football head coach Hong Myung-bo took the reins in July under less-than-ideal circumstances, dogged by criticism of an unfair hiring process by the Korea Football Association. He was booed lustily by home fans before, during and after his first match, a World Cup qualifier against Palestine on Sept. 5 in Seoul. That the match ended in a goalless draw only added fuel to the fire. With each passing match, though, Hong has gradually come to be viewed in a different light. Bo

Nov. 15, 2024