LONDON (AP) ― Ronaldinho made a winning return to the Brazil team as Leandro Damiao’s first international goal earned the five-time world champions a 1-0 victory over 10-man Ghana on Monday, easing some of the pressure on under-fire coach Mano Menezes. Internacional striker Leandro marked his first start for Brazil by collecting a through-ball by midfielder Fernandinho and slotting home a low fi...

Park Chu-young aims to keep up his strong play It is halftime in South Korea’s two-game opening gambit in its bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and the players couldn’t be feeling better. Well, they are sure to be a little jetlagged after playing 90 minutes against Lebanon and then flying to the opposite side of Asia ready for a match with Kuwait on Tuesday (2 a.m. Wednesday Korean time), bu...

GOYANG (AP) -- A hat trick by new Arsenal signing Park Chu-young lifted South Korea to a 6-0 win over Lebanon in their World Cup qualifier on Friday. Ji Dong-won of Sunderland also scored twice as Korea outclassed the visitors from start to finish to take an early lead at the top of Group B in the third round of Asian qualifying. Park Chu-young scores his second goal against Lebanon on Friday d...

You may be thinking that the last World Cup has just finished. After all, it is only 14 months since Luis Suarez scored a fine goal for Uruguay to end South Korean hopes in the second round but despite the defeat all were satisfied as reaching the last 16 was the Taeguk Warriors’ best ever performance on foreign soil. Tonight the team takes its first step on the road to Brazil 2014 in the city o...

LONDON (AP) _ Arsenal completed the signing of South Korea captain Park Chu-young from Monaco on Monday and Germany defender Per Mertesacker looked set to follow him as the club strengthens after a dismal start to the Premier League season. The 26-year-old striker is moving to London after three seasons in France where he scored 25 goals in 91 appearances. Park Chu-young (Yonhap News) ``He wil...

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester outclassed north London in a Premier League goal frenzy Sunday, with United thrashing Arsenal 8-2 and City routing Tottenham 5-1. Edin Dzeko scored four goals for City at White Hart Lane. Wayne Rooney responded with a hat trick at Old Trafford as Arsenal allowed eight goals in the league for the first time in 115 years. United scored eight goals for the first time since ...

LONDON (AP) ― Juan Mata scored on his Chelsea debut to complete a 3-1 victory over Norwich on Saturday in a Premier League match overshadowed by teammate Didier Drogba being knocked unconscious. Mata, who joined from Valencia this week, netted in the 11th minute of stoppage time, which resulted from Drogba requiring treatment on the pitch after being accidentally punched by Norwich goalkeeper Jo...

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) ― Danny Welbeck, Anderson and Wayne Rooney were all on target as Manchester United continued their perfect start to the season with a 3-0 victory over Tottenham at Old Trafford here on Monday. Sir Alex Ferguson once again underlined his confidence in youth with a selection that saw France international Patrice Evra as the only player older than his mid-20s. Manchester ...

Ghanaian striker Asamoah learns K-League culture He made an impact in his very first game and as soon as it finished, respected SBS TV commentator Park Moon-sung started tweeting about a new and exciting addition to the K-League called Derek Asamoah. The former Ghana international has spent much of his career in the lower leagues of English football with side-trips to Scotland and Bulgaria. Now...

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) _ Oscar scored a hat trick to lead Brazil to a 3-2 win over Portugal in extra time on Saturday to win the Under-20 World Cup. Oscar got the winner in the 111th minute, lobbing a shot from the right that was tipped by Portugal keeper Mika onto the underside of the crossbar before going in. He also scored in the 5th minute, and again in the 78th. Brazil players celebrate wit...

South Korean football manager Cho Kwang-rae has described his team’s loss to Japan on Wednesday as an “important lesson” ahead of World Cup qualifying in September. A lackluster performance saw Cho’s side tumble to a 3-0 defeat at Sapporo stadium, triggering concerns about the team’s future ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Cho Kwang-rae It was the biggest defeat to Japan in 37 years sin...