[World Cup] Colombia beats Uruguay 2-0 at World Cup

With a spectacular swivel-and-strike, James Rodriguez provided one of the highlights of the World Cup and gave Brazil reason to worry.Rodriguez scored one of the best goals of the tournament and added a second to put Colombia into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time with a 2-0 win over Uruguay on Saturday _ setting up a meeting with the host nation.  Uruguay`s Cristian Rodriguez jumps high to head the ball during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Colombia and Uruguay at t

SoccerJune 29, 2014

[World Cup] Brazil beats Chile in shootout at World Cup

Brazil advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win over Chile following a tense and thrilling battle that ended 1-1 after extra time. David Luiz (C) of Brazil celebrates after winning the penalty shootout of the FIFA World Cup 2014 round of 16 match between Brazil and Chile at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Saturday. (Yonhap)Neymar, David Luiz and Marcelo scored in the shootout, and Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar saved two penalties before watching

SoccerJune 29, 2014

[World Cup] 10-man Belgium sends Korea home

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- South Korea’s slim chance of advancing to the round of 16 faded Thursday in Sao Paulo as a 10-man Belgium secured a late 1-0 victory over the Taeguk Warriors in their final group match. Instead, Algeria earned its first-ever ticket to the knockout round by drawing 1-1 with Russia in Curitiba.Belgian captain Jan Vertonghen, in for an injured Vincent Kompany, pounced on a rebound off goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to score in the 78th minute -- the third straight game in which Belgi

SoccerJune 27, 2014

[World Cup] S. Korea gutsy without polish in loss to Belgium

In their 1-0 loss to Belgium that knocked them out of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil on Thursday, the South Koreans did everything offensively but to score a goal.Statistically and aesthetically, there was little question about which was the superior offensive side at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. South Korea outshot Belgium, 18-16, and also held the edge in shots on goal, 12-11. South Korea also attempted more passes than Belgium, 501-421, and was more accurate, with a 73 percent success rate c

SoccerJune 27, 2014

[World Cup] S. Korean coach blames himself for World Cup exit

After his team was eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with a 1-0 loss to Belgium, South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo on Thursday blamed no one but himself. Hong Myeong-bo (Yonhap)"I think our players did the best they could," he said at the post-match press conference. "More than anyone else, I had the most shortcomings. I have no problem with our players."He declined to grade either himself or the team after South Korea went winless in matches in Group H. South Korea opened wi

SoccerJune 27, 2014

[World Cup] 10-man Belgium sends Korea home 1-0

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- South Korea’s World Cup campaign ended Thursday in Sao Paulo as a 10-man Belgium secured a late 1-0 victory over the Taeguk Warriors. Meanwhile, Algeria secured its first-ever ticket to the round of 16 by drawing 1-1 against Russia in Curitiba.Belgian captain Jan Vertonghen pounced on a rebound off goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to score in the 78th minute – the third game in a row that Belgium has scored the winner in the last 20 minutes. Korea’s coach Hong Myung-bo made two chan

SoccerJune 27, 2014

[World Cup] Messi ‘from Jupiter’

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) ― About a dozen Argentine fans couldn’t get enough of the smell of victory in the Beira-Rio Stadium, dancing and singing in their seats more than than an hour after their team beat Nigeria 3-2.They had good reason to celebrate.Once again Lionel Messi had put on a World Cup show with two goals, but this time his whole team ― aside from a couple of defensive blunders ― was part of the performance.In its third straight win, Argentina attacked with more flair than previousl

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Hong’s team playing to give Koreans ‘hope’

SAO PAULO, Brazil ― South Korean football coach Hong Myung-bo does not have a religion. If his squad won the unlikely victory against the widely favored Belgium on Thursday in their final Brazil World Cup group match, he would not call it a miracle, he said at a press conference in Sao Paulo on the eve of the big game. Instead, he said he simply wanted his players to do their best and to play for the Korean people.“Right now, for us to go to the round of 16, of course the conditions are not favo

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Uruguay defends Luis Suarez as FIFA scrambles

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― As the world was judging Uruguay’s Luis Suarez for biting a player in the World Cup, his teammates, coaches and fans in his soccer-crazy country defended the star, blaming the foreign media, his Italian opponents and uneven treatment. World Cup organizers scrambled Wednesday to quickly decide on a punishment before Uruguay plays Colombia Saturday in the round of 16. “We have to resolve it either today or tomorrow,” FIFA disciplinary panel member Martin Hong told reporters W

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Belgium won’t rest on its laurels

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Belgium may be sitting comfortably atop Group H, but the team’s quest for points ahead of the round of 16 means it will play as hard in its match against South Korea as in any other game, coach Marc Wilmots said Wednesday.After victories over Algeria and Russia, Belgium has sealed its entry to the knockout stages even before its final group match against a struggling South Korea, which is on the brink of elimination.(Yonhap)But Wilmots said the team nonetheless has prepared

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Hong’s team playing to give Koreans ‘hope’

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- South Korean football coach Hong Myung-bo does not have a religion, and if his squad won the unlikely victory against the widely favored Belgium on Thursday in their final Brazil World Cup group match, he would not call it a miracle, he said at a press conference in Sao Paulo on the eve of the big game. Instead, he said he simply wanted his players to do their best and to play for the Korean people.“Right now, for us to go to the round of 16, of course the conditions are not

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Scoreless Park Chu-young creates ‘balance’

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- South Korean football coach Hong Myung-bo said Wednesday that his squad’s balance was thanks to forward Park Chu-young, whose contentious inclusion on the World Cup squad had yet to pay off with a goal.Hong defended the Arsenal striker-turned-free agent’s performance in Korea’s 1-1 draw with Russia and 4-2 loss to Algeria, saying the team was not able to create chances for him. In each match Park went scoreless, fumbled passes and was brought off before the hour mark, which

SoccerJune 26, 2014

[World Cup] Honduras coach quits after World Cup elimination

Honduras lost all three of its matches at the World Cup, and then lost its coach.Luis Fernando Suarez, a Colombian who led Ecuador to the second round of the 2006 World Cup, quit his job Wednesday following a third straight loss in Brazil.“I'm sorry I didn't manage more,” said Suarez, who has been Honduras coach since March 2011. “I'm sad because I had a dream about this World Cup.”Honduras` head coach Luis Suarez instructs his players from the sideline during the group E World Cup soccer match

SoccerJune 26, 2014