Surprise Bento dismissal raises questions about rest of UAE World Cup qualifying campaign
DUBAI: It takes something special to top the drama of a 98th-minute winner which kept UAE dreams of automatic World Cup 2026 qualification alive.
South Korea Sport News
Son blames bad pitches as South Korea slip up in World Cup qualifying
Son Heung-min blamed South Korea’s shoddy pitches for their 2026 World Cup qualifying struggles after a 1-1 draw with Jordan left them sweating on an automatic place at the tournament.
Paulo Bento fired as head coach of the UAE national football team
Paulo Bento has been fired as head coach of the United Arab Emirates football team just hours after a 2-1 win Tuesday over North Korea kept alive its slim automatic hopes of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. That victory, which came with a goal in the 98th minute, puts the UAE four points behind second-place Uzbekistan in Group A with two games remaining. The top two teams from each of the three Asian groups are guaranteed a place in the tournament to be hosted next year by the United States, Canada and Mexico. “The UAE Football Association has decided to dismiss the head coach of the national team, Paulo Bento, along with his coaching staff,” the UAE football association posted on social media. The 55-year-old Portuguese coach led South Korea to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup, 10 years after he took Portugal to the last four of the European Championships.
UAE sack coach Bento despite Riyadh great escape
The United Arab Emirates sacked Portuguese coach Paulo Bento on Wednesday, the morning after his team kept alive their hopes of direct qualification to the World Cup with a last-gasp win over North Korea in Riyadh.
South Korea's Son bemoans poor pitches after another World Cup home draw
SEOUL : Captain Son Heung-min believes poor pitches have contributed to South Korea's stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign after the Taeguk Warriors were held to two home 1-1 draws in the March international window.
Son Heung-Min Blames Bad Pitches As South Korea Slip Up In World Cup Qualifying
Son Heung-min blamed South Korea's shoddy pitches for their 2026 World Cup qualifying struggles after a 1-1 draw with Jordan left them sweating on an automatic place at the tournament. The Koreans were held at home for a second game in a row on Tuesday after also drawing with Oman last week and hold a precarious lead at the top of Asian qualifying Group B with an away trip to third-placed Iraq still to come. South Korea's two qualifiers in March were moved away from Seoul because of the capital stadium's poor pitch but skipper Son said the turf was still below par and took aim at his country's football administrators.
Canada's Homan repeats as curling world champion with win over Switzerland's Tirinzoni in rematch
Rachel Homan's Canadian curling team has won the women's world championship with a 7-3 victory over Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni in Uijeongbu, South Korea.
Defending champ Homan advances to face Switzerland's Tirinzoni in gold-medal rematch at curling worlds
Canada's Rachel Homan topped South Korea's Gim Eun-ji 6-5 in an extra end on Saturday in the semifinals of the women's curling world championship in Uijeongbu, China.