South Korea lost to Italy 2-1 in the semifinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Thursday, as they fell one win shy of a second straight trip to the championship match. Simone Pafundi scored a free kick goal to break the deadlock in the 86th minute at La Plata Stadium in La Plata, eastern Argentina. South Korean captain Lee Seung-won had the team's lone goal on a first-half penalty. Coached by Kim Eun-jung, South Korea will take on Israel in the third-place match, back in La Plata, at 2:30 p.m

On a South Korean team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with few, if any, household names, captain Lee Seung-won has emerged as an unlikely offensive star. Lee has registered a goal and four assists to lead the unheralded South Korean team to the semifinals against Italy. Lee has tied Lee Kang-in, the MVP of the 2019 U-20 World Cup, for the most assists by a South Korean player at a FIFA tournament. Lee Kang-in, who also had two goals, won the Golden Ball despite South Korea's loss to Ukraine in

In preparing for the semifinal showdown against Italy at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup, South Korea head coach Kim Eun-jung has been focusing on getting his team ready to handle the Europeans' offensive prowess. "Italy's attackers are so great and we've been keying in on that aspect," Kim said at the official prematch press conference Wednesday at La Plata Stadium in La Plata, eastern Argentina. The same venue will host the semifinal match between South Korea and Italy

South Korea, led by head coach Kim Eun-joong, secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup at Santiago del Estero Stadium in Argentina on Monday. The match was fiercely contested, with both teams locked in a neck-and-neck battle that eventually led to extra time. With this triumph, South Korea advances to the semifinals for the second consecutive time, building on their previous success as runners-up in the 2019 Polish Games. Looking ahea

The national football federation announced Wednesday it will organize an outdoor cheering event in Seoul for South Korea's upcoming semifinal match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said it will work with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Red Devils, the official supporters' group for national football teams, to run an outdoor viewing party at Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, on Friday morning. South Korea's match against Italy

Against all odds, South Korea, a team of unheralded overachievers, find themselves a win away from reaching the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Standing between the young Taegeuk Warriors and a piece of Korean football history will be Italy. The two countries will battle in the semifinals at La Plata Stadium in La Plata, eastern Argentina, starting at 6 p.m. Thursday local time, or 6 a.m. Friday in Seoul time. Both teams also made the semifinals at the previous U-20 World Cup in 2

Samsung Lions closer Oh Seung-hwan picked up his 500th professional save Tuesday, the latest milestone for the greatest fireman in South Korean baseball history. Oh pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 9-6 victory over the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, some 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. It was Oh's 500th save in a career spanning three leagues: KBO, Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, and Major League

Napoli has no time to rest after the Serie A title with a new coach needed to replace the departing Luciano Spalletti

With veteran South Korean midfielder Son Jun-ho being held in China for bribery charges, national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann wanted to show Son his support the only way he could -- by putting the 31-year-old on the 23-man squad for two friendlies this month. Klinsmann unveiled his team for matches against Peru on June 16 and El Salvador on June 20. Son was a surprise selection, as the Shandong Taishan midfielder has been in detention in Liaoning for bribery allegations. Efforts by South Ko

Three international rookies were named to the South Korean men's national football team Monday for two upcoming friendly matches. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann unveiled his 23-man squad for matches against Peru and El Salvador later this month on home soil. The list features three first-time callups: Jeju United defender An Hyun-beom, KAA Gent midfielder Hong Hyun-seok and Ulsan Hyundai FC defender Park Yong-woo. Hong, 23, has impressed in the top Belgian league in particular, establishing ca

South Korea have advanced to the semifinals at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina, moving within a win of reaching the championship match for the second consecutive tournament. Choi Seok-hyun headed in the match's only goal early in extra time, as South Korea knocked off Nigeria 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the tournament at Santiago del Estero Stadium in Santiago del Estero, northern Argentina, on Sunday. Coached by Kim Eun-jung, South Korea will take on Italy in the semifinals at La Plata Sta

When South Korea head coach Kim Eun-jung was preparing his players for the round of 16 match against Ecuador at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina, he delivered a straightforward message: that this could be their last match in the tournament and there's no tomorrow. That sense of urgency paid off in South Korea's 3-2 victory in Santiago del Estero, northern Argentina, on Thursday, and South Korea will move on to take on Nigeria in the quarterfinals on Sunday, back in the same city. &

South Korea head coach Kim Eun-jung wants to ensure a travel delay in Argentina won't affect his team's upcoming knockout match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. South Korea qualified for the last 16 at the tournament after playing all three group matches in Mendoza, western Argentina, over the past week. Their first knockout match is against Ecuador in Santiago del Estero in the northern part of the host country at 6 p.m. Thursday, or 6 a.m. Friday in Seoul. Kim's team had been schedul

South Korean football icon Son Heung-min came home Tuesday after completing a tumultuous Premier League season with Tottenham Hotspur, a campaign that featured a serious injury, multiple coaching changes and a significant personal milestone. Son arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to great fanfare Tuesday afternoon. Judging by the reception, it would have been difficult to guess Son had just wrapped up an unproductive season, at both individual and club levels. Son made hist

South Korea will travel to Wales for a men's friendly football match in September, for their first appearance in Europe under new coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The Korea Football Association announced Monday afternoon that South Korea and Wales will square off at Cardiff City Stadium in the Welsh capital on Sept. 7. The kickoff time will be determined later, the KFA added. The match falls during the September international match window, as set by FIFA. The KFA said it is also trying to schedule a