Asian Roundup

Champion Jubilo beaten 4-2 in season opener

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Faltering Japanese champions Jubilo Iwata crashed 4-2 at home to title pretenders Yokohama F-Marinos in the opening match of the 2003 J-League season on Friday.

Second-half goals from midfielder Daisuke Oku and new Brazilian striker Marquinhos inflicted more suffering on Jubilo after a turbulent preseason, but gave former Japan coach Takeshi Okada a win in his first game in charge of Yokohama.

Jubilo, who lost all three games in the East Asian Champions Cup last month, found themselves two down inside the first 10 minutes as goals from Akihiro Endo and Yukihiko Sato stunned the crowd of 33,000 at Ecopa World Cup Stadium.

However, Iwata struck back through Ryoichi Maeda in the 12th minute and Toshiya Fujita equalised with a close-range header midway through the first half.

But things rapidly deteriorated for Jubilo in the second half when former team mate Oku scored a third for Yokohama within four minutes of the re-start.

Marquinhos, who joined Yokohama from Tokyo Verdy in the pre-season, sealed victory for his new team in the 70th minute, nodding home a Sato cross to condemn Jubilo to a second 4-2 defeat inside a week.

Jubilo, who lost by the same score to Vissel Kobe in the Nabisco Cup last weekend, became the first team to win both stages in a J-League season in 2002.

But new manager Masaaki Yanagishita has struggled to find the right balance since Japan striker Naohiro Takahara departed for German Bundesliga club Hamburg SV in January.

Yokohama invested wisely during the pre-season, signing Marquinhos, Sato and Japan striker Tatsuhiko Kubo from Hiroshima, with Brazil captain Cafu set to join F-Marinos from AS Roma in July.

Nabisco Cup holders Kashima Antlers play Urawa Reds at home in one of five J-League first division games on Saturday, with two more scheduled for Sunday.

Expanded K-League hopes to maintain Cup glow

SEOUL (Reuters) -- South Korea's K-League, Asia's oldest soccer league, kicks off a new season on Sunday and hopes the afterglow of co-hosting the World Cup last year will prompt fans to return in decent numbers.

The K-League will grow to 12 clubs this season, following the inclusion of Taegu FC from South Korea's third city and Sangmu Phoenix, based in the southern city of Kwangju.

"Put it this way, we don't expect the crowds to be smaller this year" said Lee Eun-ha, assistant manager of the K-League's international department.

"Since the winter break, people are expected to be keen to get back in the stadiums."

K-League attendances hit 2,651,901 last season, nearly 15 percent higher than in 2001 and the second highest on record.

The 2003 season runs from March 23 to November 16.

It will be a key test whether the enthusiasm for soccer shown during the national team's stunning run under the leadership of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink to reach the World Cup semifinals continues this season or ebbs away.

Traditionally, baseball has been a higher-profile sport in South Korea, although the feverish support from South Koreans bedecked in red T-shirts at the 2002 World Cup co-hosted with Japan has undoubtedly given soccer a major boost.

The K-League, which was founded in 1983, has tended to be dominated by clubs owned by powerful conglomerates, known as "chaebol."

All change

South Korean clubs -- represented by last season's K-League title-holders Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Taejon Citizen -- performed fairly well in the Asian Champions League, narrowly missing out on semifinal spots after taking the scalps of the likes of Shimizu S-Pulse of the J-League.

Seongnam, who face Taejon Citizen at home on Sunday, have strengthened their line-up in the off-season, spending close to seven billion won (US$5.6 million), according to local media reports.

Seongnam, who have won more titles than any other team, have brought in national team midfielder Yoon Jung-hwan from Cerezo Osaka of the J-League, Russian winger Denis Laktionov from local rivals the Suwon Blue Wings and last year's prolific K-League striker Kim Do-hoon from Chonbuk Motors.

In defense, Seongnam have brought in Croatian defender Jasenko Sabitovic from the Pohang Steelers and Lee Ki-hyung from the Suwon Blue Wings, who finished third last season.

The Blue Wings have also lost Brazilian striker Sandro Dos Santos and midfielder Ko Jong-su to the J-League.

The side has, however, bagged World Cup star goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae and plans to bring through some decent young prospects.

The Ulsan Tigers, who were runners up last season and just two points behind Seongnam, have enhanced their line-up with the addition of Brazilian striker Ricardo Lucas Dodo and youth team players Choi Sung-kuk and Kim Jung-woo.

Brazilian Edmilson, who was the K-League's top scorer with 14 goals last season, will be joined by compatriots Magno Alves and Rodrigo Fernandes at Chonbuk Motors, local media said.

Korea coach Coelho names full-strength squad

SEOUL (Reuters) -- New South Korea coach Humberto Coelho has named a near full-strength squad for his first match in charge, against Colombia in Pusan on March 29.

The former Portugal coach selected 13 of the South Korea squad that reached the semifinals of the World Cup on home soil last year, including PSV Eindhoven team mates Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo and Japan-based striker Ahn Jung-hwan.

But Coelho, who has signed a contract to coach South Korea until August 2004, gave first call-ups to Ulsan Hyundai midfielder Choi Sung-kuk and Kim Dong-jin of Anyang LG.

The 52-year-old confirmed that he would experiment with a four-man defense against Colombia, despite the success South Korea had playing 3-5-2 under Hiddink.

"I know Korea used three central defenders at the World Cup but I my style is to play with a back four. I am sure the players will adapt well," said Coelho.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) briefly turned to World Cup assistant coach Park Hang-seo after Hiddink returned to his native Netherlands to manage PSV.

But Park was soon fired by the KFA after South Korea failed to reach the final of the Asian Games tournament in Pusan last October.

- -- - -

South Korea squad:

Goalkeepers -- Kim Yong-dae (Pusan I.cons), Lee Woon-jae (Suwon Samsung) Defenders -- Kim Tae-young (Chunnam Dragons), Sim Jae-won (Pusan I.cons), Cho Byung-kuk (Suwon Samsung), Lee Min-sung (Pohang Steelers), Choi Sung-yong (Suwon Samsung), Lee Eul-young (Trabzonspor, Turkey)

Midfielders -- Park Ji-sung (PSV Eindhoven), Lee Young-pyo (PSV Eindhoven), Kim Sang-sik (Sangmu), Yoo Sang-chul (Ulsan Hyundai), Park Dong-hyuk (Chonbuk Hyundai), Kim Dong-jin (Anyang LG), Lee Chun-soo (Ulsan Hyundai), Choi Sung-kuk (Ulsan Hyundai)

Forwards -- Ahn Jung-hwan (Shimizu S-Pulse, Japan), Seol Ki-hyeon (Anderlecht, Belgium), Choi Yong-soo (JEF United Ichihara, Japan), Lee Dong-gook (Sangmu), Choi Tae-uk (Anyang LG)

 

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