S. Korea not trying to avoid Japan in knockouts: Klinsmann

With one group match remaining at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, South Korea face a rather interesting conundrum. If they beat Malaysia convincingly to close out Group E play Thursday in Qatar, South Korea could win their group and face Japan, the likely runner-up in Group D after a shock loss to Iraq, in the round of 16. Playing the highest-ranked Asian team in the first knockout match isn't ideal for the so-far underperforming Taegeuk Warriors. On the other hand, South Korea,

Jan. 24, 2024

S. Korea held by Jordan, stay 2nd in Group E

It took a late equalizer by their opponent for South Korea to come away with a point at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in Qatar on Saturday -- a lucky point for a team that didn't really deserve it. South Korea, ranked 23rd, eked out a 2-2 draw against world No. 87 Jordan in their second group stage match at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. The Taegeuk Warriors were unable to stay in front after captain Son Heung-min converted his own penalty in the ninth minute. An own goal by

Jan. 20, 2024

S. Korea determined to fight for injured goalkeeper

In light of a devastating injury to their top goalkeeper, South Korea head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said Friday the remaining players will be battling hard for their fallen teammate for the rest of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup. Earlier on Friday, the eve of South Korea's second Group E match against Jordan in Doha, the Korea Football Association had announced first-choice goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu will miss the rest of the Asian Cup with a torn ligament in his right knee. T

Jan. 19, 2024

S. Korea looking to move closer to knockouts in 2nd group match vs. Jordan

Coming off a solid win over Bahrain earlier in the week, South Korea will try to move closer to a knockout berth at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup when they take on Jordan on Saturday in Qatar. The showdown between world No. 23 South Korea and No. 87 Jordan in Group E kicks off at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha at 2:30 p.m. Saturday local time, or 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Coached by Jurgen Klinsmann, South Korea are trying to win their first Asian Cup since 1960. Lee Kang-in's double car

Jan. 18, 2024

S. Korea defeat Bahrain to open group stage behind Lee Kang-in's brace

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in scored a brace as South Korea defeated Bahrain 3-1 to open their title bid at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Qatar on Monday. Lee broke the 1-1 deadlock in the 56th minute at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha and then netted an insurance marker a dozen minutes later for his sixth goal in the past six international matches. Midfielder Hwang In-beom scored the first goal for 23rd-ranked South Korea in the 38th minute, before Abdullah Al Hash

Jan. 15, 2024

Klinsmann expects 'very difficult game' vs. Bahrain to start group stage

South Korea may be the heavy favorites against Bahrain when the two countries clash to start Group E action at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Qatar on Monday, but that is not how South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann sees the matchup. "Based on information we've collected, we'll have a very difficult game tomorrow," Klinsmann said at his prematch press conference in Doha on Sunday. The match between world No. 23 South Korea and No. 86 Bahrain kicks off at Jassim b

Jan. 14, 2024

Loaded with talent, S. Korea set to kick off Asian Cup title bid vs Bahrain

South Korea's quest to quench its 64-year title thirst at the top Asian men's football tournament will begin Monday against Bahrain, a team they have beaten 11 times out of 16 meetings so far. Loaded with Europe-based stars, South Korea will play their first Group E match of the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Rayyan, just west of Doha. South Korea won the first two editions of the top AFC men's tournament, in 1956 and 1960, but have been shut out of titl

Jan. 14, 2024

[Graphic News] S. Korea’s Asian Cup squad

On Dec. 28, South Korean men’s soccer national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann announced his star-studded roster for the 26-man squad, which is seeking to win the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 1960. There were few surprises for the team, which will be brandishing star players like Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan, Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae. South Korea’s arch-rival,

Jan. 12, 2024

S. Korea coach Klinsmann pays tribute to late Beckenbauer

Jurgen Klinsmann, German-born head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, bid an emotional farewell to his late former coach and German football legend Franz Beckenbauer on Tuesday, calling him a mentor and a father-like figure for players on the 1990 FIFA World Cup champion West Germany team. Beckenbauer passed away in Austria on Sunday at age 78. His family first sent a note to the German news agency dpa, and the German football federation later confirmed Beckenbauer�

Jan. 9, 2024

10-man S. Korea defeat Iraq in final Asian Cup tuneup

South Korea held off Iraq 1-0 in their final tuneup match before the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Midfielder Lee Jae-sung scored the first goal late in the first half at New York University Abu Dhabi Stadium, but the Taegeuk Warriors were unable to add to that lead in the second half despite dominating the run of play. South Korea played the final handful of minutes a man down after Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in was sent off on his second yellow c

Jan. 7, 2024

Klinsmann says S. Koreans have 'a lot of belief' that they can win Asian Cup

Jurgen Klinsmann, head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, said Tuesday his players are confident they can end a decadeslong drought at the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup kicking off this month in Qatar. "We're ready to go to Qatar. We're full of energy. We have a lot of belief that we can do well in Qatar and bring the Asian Cup back to Korea after 64 years," Klinsmann said during the annual Korea Football Association (KFA) Awards ceremony in

Jan. 2, 2024

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae voted top S. Korean footballer of 2023

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae was named the top South Korean male football player for 2023 on Tuesday, earning his first annual honor and snapping a four-year winning streak by Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Tuesday that Kim won the Male Player of the Year award after earning 137 points in a vote by football journalists and members of the KFA's technical development committee and national team committee. Son, who has won a record se

Jan. 2, 2024

Wolves announce extension for S. Korean attacker Hwang Hee-chan

Wolverhampton Wanderers have announced their new deal with South Korean international Hwang Hee-chan, keeping him on board until 2028 with an option for an extra year. The deal was first reported by Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano early last week and then confirmed by Wolves head coach Gary O'Neil last Friday, before the club made it official Thursday. Hwang leads Wolves this season with a career-high eight goals in the league and nine goals in all competitions. He is sixth over

Dec. 22, 2023

S. Korea remain at No. 23 in last FIFA rankings before Asian Cup

South Korea stayed at No. 23 in the last edition of the FIFA rankings before the top Asian men's competition kicks off next month. FIFA unveiled its final edition of the men's rankings for 2023 on Thursday evening. Coached by Jurgen Klinsmann, South Korea remained at No. 23. They are the third-highest ranked team in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), trailing Japan (No. 17) and Iran (No. 21). That trio will be among the favorites to be crowned the champions at the AFC Asian Cup, w

Dec. 22, 2023

Offside technology to make Asian Cup debut in Qatar

A new offside technology that made its FIFA World Cup debut last year in Qatar will be implemented at the top Asian men's football tournament for the first time next month in the same country, the continental football governing body has said. The Asian Football Confederation announced Tuesday that the Semi-Automated Offside Technology will make its AFC Asian Cup debut and will be used in all 51 matches of the Jan. 12-Feb. 10 tournament. The AFC will be the first confederation to apply the s

Dec. 20, 2023

Kim Min-jae scores 1st goal for Bayern in win

South Korean football defender Kim Min-jae has scored his first goal for the German side Bayern Munich. The center back headed in a corner taken by Aleksandar Pavlovic in the 63rd minute to round out the scoring in Bayern's 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart at Allianz Arena in Munich on Sunday. Kim also assisted the second of Harry Kane's two goals in the 55th minute for his first helper in the Bundesliga. Bayern, going for their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title, improved to 35 points, four

Dec. 18, 2023

Pohang Steelers name club legend Park Tae-ha as new head coach

Pohang Steelers announced Friday they have named club legend Park Tae-ha as their new head coach. The K League 1 club said Park, 55, has agreed to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Park spent his entire playing career with Pohang, from 1991 to 2001. During his time, Pohang won the 1992 K League title, the 1996 FA Cup and captured consecutive Asian Football Confederation Champions League titles in 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons. Park served as team captain from 1998 to 200

Dec. 15, 2023

FIFA takes down controversial Japanese flag in promo image

FIFA recently changed one of its promotional images for the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023, after South Korean fans complained over the controversial "Rising Sun" flag design in it. The image, posted on FIFA World Cup's official Instagram account, introduces the Urawa Red Diamond, participating in the event as the winners of the 2022 AFC Champions league. South Koreans, however, took issues with what appeared to be a Rising Sun flag in the background. Upon a flurry of comme

Dec. 14, 2023

3 out of 4 K League clubs reach knockouts at AFC Champions League

Three out of four South Korean sides competing at Asia's top club football tournament have reached the knockout phase, with the one team missing the party by a tiny margin. Ulsan Hyundai FC, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Pohang Steelers of the K League 1 have advanced to the round of 16 at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League, while Incheon United, also representing the K League 1, were sent packing this week. There were 10 groups of four in the group stage, with clubs in "We

Dec. 14, 2023

S. Korean int'l Hwang In-beom scores 1st Champions League goal in loss

South Korean national team midfielder Hwang In-beom finally has his first goal in the UEFA Champions League, though he won't get a chance to add to that total this season with his club Crvena zvezda eliminated. Hwang scored a goal and set up another in the Serbian side's 3-2 loss to Manchester City in the teams' final Group G match of the top European club competition in Belgrade on Wednesday. Crvena zvezda had already been eliminated from knockout contention after their 2-1 loss

Dec. 14, 2023