Jul 15, 2018   Soccer

[World Cup] As World Cup ends, Russia's stadiums face uncertain future

Russian President Vladimir Putin knows the legacy of his World Cup will be judged partly by the fate of the stadiums after the tournament and he is determined they are put to good use.Russia has spent at least $4 billion on arena construction and refurbishments for the month-long showpiece.Stunning venues rose from the ground in developed cities far from Moscow such as Nizhny Novogrod on the Volga River and in small and isolated places like Saransk.Putin's last TV phone-in show held a week befor

Jul 15, 2018   Sports

[Newsmaker] Belgium finishes 3rd at World Cup, beats England 2-0

For Belgium and England, the third-place match at the World Cup was more like a dress rehearsal for future finals.At least they hope.The Belgians earned their best World Cup finish by beating England 2-0 on Saturday in a match both saw as the start of a push for the European Championship title in 2020 or the World Cup in 2022."With this winning mentality you can win trophies," said Eden Hazard, who scored Belgium's second goal. "In two years, in four years, we will be better. We have young playe

Jul 13, 2018   More sports

Super-Mom Serena into 10th Wimbledon final

LONDON -- Serena Williams demonstrated that having a baby had not robbed her of any of her phenomenal tennis skills when she became the first mother in 38 years to reach the Wimbledon final, with a 6-2 6-4 demolition of Germany’s Julia Goerges on Thursday. Goerges had come into her first Grand Slam semi-final having belted more winners (199), more aces (44) and more unreturned serves (113) than anyone else in the women’s draw but those statistics counted for little when she came up against an op

Jul 13, 2018   Soccer

[World Cup] England’s Kane misses out on golden shot at World Cup title

MOSCOW -- Harry Kane will likely come home from the World Cup with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer and a burnished reputation as a feared forward.Had Kane added to his six goals in Russia with either of his back-to-back chances in the first half against Croatia on Wednesday, when England was dominating and led 1-0, he could yet be lifting the trophy on Sunday.Or the header in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes when the score was 1-1 and a goal would likely have brought England

Jul 12, 2018   Soccer

[Graphic News] Ronaldo joins Juventus for 100m euros

　Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Italian champions Juventus from Real Madrid for 100 million euros ($117.34 million).  　The 33-year-old striker secured a second entry in the world’s top 10 largest transfers in history.　Brazil star Neymar became the most expensive player when he moved to PSG from Barcelona last summer for 222 million euros.　Philippe Coutinho and Paul Pogba ranked second and third respectively.

Jul 12, 2018   Soccer

Croatia tops England in extra time, will meet France in Final

MOSCOW -- Croatia’s legs seemed heavy, burdened by the accumulated toll of consecutive penalty-kicks wins needed to get this far. England had gone ahead with a free kick just five minutes in, dominated play and appeared headed to its first World Cup final since 1966.Then the second half started and it was as if a different Croatian team had replaced the lethargic one.Ivan Perisic tied the score in the 68th minute , Mario Mandzukic got the go-ahead goal in the 109th and Croatia shocked England wi

Jul 10, 2018   Soccer

Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo to visit S. Korea

Football star Cristiano Ronaldo will visit Korea for the first time 11 years, officials here said Tuesday. Korea Tech, a local beauty and home appliance seller, said Ronaldo will visit Korea on July 25 to promote a Japanese brand fitness product and will have meet and greet events for fans.He is expected to land in Korea after visiting Japan.  (Yonhap)This will be Ronaldo's first trip to Korea since July 2007, when he came to Seoul for Manchester United's friendly match with FC Seoul. Ronaldo, w

Jul 10, 2018   More sports

Koreas want to use flag showing Dokdo during 2018 Asian Games

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- South and North Korea have requested the top Asian sports governing body to allow use of a unification flag showing the South's eastern islets of Dokdo during the upcoming Asian Games, Seoul's Olympic chief said Tuesday.Lee Kee-heung, who leads the South's Korean Olympic & Sport Committee, said that the two Koreas recently sent a request to the Olympic Council of Asia for the use of a flag showing Dokdo when their joint team appears at the 18th Asian Games

Jul 10, 2018   More sports

S. Korea aims for 2nd place at Asian Games

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- South Korea on Tuesday vowed to fend off its longtime sporting rival Japan to secure second place at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Kee-heung said that South Korea aims to finish second in the medal standings with at least 65 gold, 71 silver and 72 bronze. "Our goal is clear, which is to secure second place for six consecutive events," Lee said in a media event held at National Training Center in Jincheon,

Jul 9, 2018   Golf

[Newsmaker] Kim Sei-young shatters LPGA scoring records, wins by 9 shots

South Korea's Kim Sei-young has claimed her seventh career LPGA title with a 72-hole scoring record on the tour. Kim won the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic by nine strokes over Spain's Carlota Ciganda at Thornberry Creek at Oneida in Oneida, Wisconsin, on Sunday (local time). She fired a 7-under 65 in the final round for a four-day total of 31-under 257. Kim broke the 72-hole scoring mark on the LPGA Tour that was previously held by her and Annika Sorenstam. Kim had a four-day score of 27-under a

Jul 9, 2018   More sports

Korea’s ‘Garlic Girl’ curling champion marries skating coach

Kim Eun-jung, the captain and the skip of the Korean women’s Olympic curling team, tied the knot on Saturday. The wedding was held in Daegu, where the groom works as a skating coach. The two had reportedly been dating for roughly five years.Members of the Olympic curling team gathered at the ceremony to celebrate the couple.  South Korean curler Kim Eun-jung poses for a photo with flowers at Goun Temple in Euiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, on March 12. (Yonhap) (Instagram)The Korea women’s cu

Jul 5, 2018   Sports

S. Korean men paired with Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Bahrain in Asiad football title defense

South Korea will take on Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Bahrain to begin their men's football title defense at this year's Asian Games.South Korea ended up in Group E with these three countries in a draw held in Jakarta, the host of the Aug. 18-Sept. 2 Asian Games, on Thursday.There are six groups of four nations in the men's tournament. The top two nations from those six groups, plus the four best third-seeded teams will reach the round of 16. This image captured from the Asian Football Confederation

Jul 5, 2018   More sports

S. Korean coach has eye on 'a few players' for joint hoops team with N. Korea

PYONGYANG/SEOUL, (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap) -- South Korean women's national basketball head coach Lee Moon-kyu said Thursday he has his eye on "a few players" from North Korea, as the two sides try to figure out a way to combine their teams for this year's Asian Games.Lee got a first-hand look at North Korean national team players on Thursday in Pyongyang, when the Koreas met for a friendly match before a sellout crowd at the 12,000-seat Ryugyong Chung Ju-yung Gymnasium. It was part of a two-da

Jul 5, 2018   Sports

S. Korea to pit current boss vs. other candidates in football coaching search

The national football governing body said Thursday it will pit current men's national team boss Shin Tae-yong against other candidates in its coaching search.Kim Pan-gon, head of the national team coach appointment committee at the Korea Football Association, said he reached that conclusion following a meeting with a six-member sub-committee on the coaching selection."We will regard Shin Tae-yong as one of the candidates, and he'll be up against other candidates being considered," Kim said, addi