Jeonbuk's Gustavo voted K League's top player for July

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Brazilian forward Gustavo was announced South Korean football's best player for July on Wednesday, becoming the third foreign player to capture the monthly award this season. The Korea Professional Football League (K League) said Gustavo beat out three candidates for the Player of the Month award for July. Gustavo had four goals and an assist in five matches last month, helping Jeonbuk to an undefeated record with four wins and a draw. This is Gustavo's sec

Aug. 17, 2022

K League clubs at top, near bottom find more breathing room

With matches from the three-day weekend in the books in South Korean football, both a team pursuing an elusive title and another trying to avoid relegation next year have some much-needed breathing room. Ulsan Hyundai FC defeated reeling Daegu FC 4-0 on Saturday, with goals by four different foreign players. The list included their recent acquisition from Hungary, Martin Adam, with his first in the K League 1. Ulsan are going after their first title since 2005. Later that same evening, Jeonbuk H

Aug. 16, 2022

S. Korean football's 2 worst clubs set for weekend showdown

While the title race has been drawing most of the attention in the top South Korean football league in recent weeks, the spotlight will turn to the bottom of the tables this weekend, with the two worst clubs gearing up for their third meeting of the season. Suwon Samsung Bluewings, ranked 11th out of the 12 K League 1 clubs, will host last-place Seongnam FC at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul. Seongnam have been in last place for most of the seas

Aug. 12, 2022

Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min tasked with carrying S. Korea to knockouts in Qatar

When Son Heung-min made his FIFA World Cup debut eight years ago in Brazil, he was far from being the international star that he is today, having just completed his first season with Bayer Leverkusen following three years with Hamburger SV. Son, then the youngest South Korean player at 21, scored his first career World Cup goal in Brazil, but it came in a 4-2 defeat to Algeria in the second group match, a loss so devastating that it overshadowed what should have been a shining moment for the you

Aug. 11, 2022

S. Korea in for tough battle to reach knockouts as countdown to World Cup nears 100 days

With the countdown to the FIFA World Cup nearing 100 days, South Korea will be bracing themselves for a challenging battle for the knockout phase at football's grandest showcase for the first time in 12 years. The 22nd edition of the World Cup will kick off in Qatar on Nov. 12, and the countdown clock will hit 100 days Saturday. This is the first World Cup to take place in the Arab world and the second to be held in Asia, following the 2002 event co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Qatar is

Aug. 11, 2022

Son Heung-min collects assist in Tottenham's season-opening win

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min is off to a fine start to the new Premier League season, picking up an assist in the club's season-opening victory at home. Son, the reigning co-Golden Boot winner, set up Eric Dier's go-ahead header in the 31st minute, as Spurs defeated Southampton 4-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday (local time). Son played the entire match. Son took a corner just past the half-hour mark, awarded after his close-range shot wa

Aug. 7, 2022

K League's top 2 teams set for 3rd clash of season

So they meet again. Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the two best teams in South Korean football so far this year, will square off for the third time this season on Sunday. The kickoff is 7 p.m. at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonbuk's home located some 200 kilometers south of Seoul. They split the first two meetings. Ulsan lead the K League 1 with 51 points, and Jeonbuk trail them by six points, with 14 matches left this season. Both teams had rather uninspiring matches earlier in the

Aug. 5, 2022

Son Heung-min goes for 2nd straight Golden Boot as new Premier League season kicks off

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min will begin his chase for another piece of history when the new Premier League season kicks off on the weekend. Spurs will open the 2022-2023 campaign by hosting Southampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London at 3 p.m. Saturday local time, or 11 p.m. Saturday in Seoul. Last season, Son became the first Asian player to lead the Premier League in scoring, sharing the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool by scoring 23 goals. Since

Aug. 5, 2022

Amid K League success, ex-Barca player Lee Seung-woo linked with Scottish club Hearts

In the midst of his strong first season in South Korea, former FC Barcelona player Lee Seung-woo is apparently drawing interest from Europe. Edinburgh Evening News reported Sunday (local time) that Heart of Midlothian FC, commonly known as Hearts, had offered Lee a three-year deal to leave Suwon FC and join the Scottish Premiership club. For days leading up to that report, there had been whispers that clubs in Europe and Asia were trying to pry the 24-year-old from the K League 1 team. According

Aug. 2, 2022

S. Korean Premier Leaguer Hwang Hee-chan condemns racism after abuse in friendly

Wolverhamton Wanderers' South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan spoke up against racism Tuesday, some 24 hours after being subjected to discriminatory abuse during a preseason friendly in Portugal. "We are all the same human beings. We all need to have a mature attitude on enjoying sports," Hwang wrote on his Instagram page. "I really hope today could be the last day of people's suffering from racism. Not only in sport. But everywhere. No to racism." Hwang scored a pena

Aug. 2, 2022

Top 2 clubs pulling away once again in K League

For the fourth consecutive season, the South Korean football title will likely come down to the two alpha dogs: Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Both clubs notched victories over the weekend in the K League 1, while three teams right below them in the tables all lost to fall even further behind in the race. Ulsan stumbled a bit coming out of an international break in June, allowing Jeonbuk to close the gap. But Ulsan still hold a five-point lead at the top, 50-45, following their 2-1

Aug. 1, 2022

New Napoli defender Kim Min-jae makes strong preseason debut

South Korean defender Kim Min-jae has made a solid first impression in his preseason debut with Napoli. The 25-year-old center back played the first half of Napoli's 1-1 draw with the Spanish side RCD Mallorca at Stadio Teofilo Patini in Castel di Sangro, Italy, on Sunday (local time). Napoli took a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the friendly match thanks to Victor Osimhen's penalty, and Kim and the rest of Napoli's defense corps neutralized Mallorca's offense. Kim signed with t

Aug. 1, 2022

S. Korean defender Kim Min-jae signs with Italian club Napoli

South Korean defender Kim Min-jae has joined Italian football club Napoli. In a statement released Wednesday (local time), the club confirmed the signing of the Korean center back from Turkish club Fenerbahce in a bid to strengthen its defense. But it did not elaborate on the detailed terms of the contract. Kim becomes the third Korean footballer to play in the Serie A, following Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Seung-woo. The 25-year-old moved to Fenerbahce in 2021 from Chinese club Beijing Guoan, where h

July 28, 2022

Korea lose to Japan to finish runner-up at men's E. Asian football tournament

South Korea fell to Japan 3-0 to finish runner-up at an East Asian men's football tournament on Wednesday.    South Korea conceded three goals in the second half in their last match of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship held at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, Japan.    It is the second consecutive defeat to Japan following the 3-0 loss in a friendly last year.    South Korea wrapped up the four-nation tournament with two wins and one

July 27, 2022

S. Korea beat China to kickoff East Asian men's football tournament

South Korea defeated China 3-0 on Wednesday to begin their quest for the fourth consecutive East Asian men’s football title. Forward Cho Gue-sung and midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon had a goal apiece at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, Japan, while South Korea also got an own goal from China in their first match of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship. South Korea, world No. 28, now have 21 wins, 13 draws and two losses against the 78th-ranked China. South Korea will

July 20, 2022

K League forward shines vs. Tottenham, coach touts Europe chances

Representing a team of South Korean league All-Stars, forward Cho Gue-sung netted an impressive goal against Tottenham Hotspur in their exhibition match Wednesday night. And Cho's coach thinks the 24-year-old player is good enough to score against European clubs on a regular basis in games that count. Cho headed in Team K League's first goal in their 6-3 loss to Spurs at Seoul World Cup Stadium. In the dying seconds of the first half, Aleksandar Palocevic found Cho with a picture-perfe

July 14, 2022

Ex-Barca prospect Lee Seung-woo named to K League All-Star team vs. Tottenham

FC Barcelona youth player Lee Seung-woo, who has quickly emerged as one of the most popular players in his South Korean season, will headline a K League All-Star squad against the visiting Tottenham Hotspur next week. The top South Korean league unveiled the 24-man "Team K League" on Thursday, six days before the summer exhibition match against Tottenham at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The 12 K League 1 clubs sent two players each. Teams were all asked to submit a list of candidates first.

July 7, 2022

Veteran forward fitting right in with nat'l football team after long absence

PAJU -- Seven years can seem like an eternity in football, even longer than some players' entire career. It has been seven years since forward Park Eun-seon last played for the South Korean women's national team. Once a prolific scorer, Park has mostly been a forgotten figure since representing the country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. So much has changed with the women's program over that time, with new head coach Colin Bell at the helm and working with up-and-coming p

July 7, 2022

Japan-born N. Korean football player joins top-division S. Korean club

An Byong-jun, a Japan-born football player who has represented North Korea internationally, has joined a top-tier South Korean club after spending the past three-plus seasons in the second division. Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the K League 1 announced Wednesday they have signed An to an 18-month contract, with an option for an additional term, plucking him from Busan IPark in the K League 2. Suwon added An, a two-time K League 2 MVP and scoring champion, had first trained with his new club on Tue

July 6, 2022

K League-leading Ulsan looking to regroup as rivals make push

With their lead atop the South Korean football tables dwindling, Ulsan Hyundai FC will look for a bounce back in their midweek match against a team riding a rare winning streak. Ulsan will host Gangwon FC at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Ulsan are still licking their wounds after losing to Pohang Steelers 2-0 on Saturday. That loss, combined with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' 2-1 victory over Gimcheon Sangmu FC the same day, cut Ulsan

July 4, 2022