South Korea winger Son Heung-min’s hopes of representing the host country at the Asian Games have been dashed by German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who have refused to let him travel home for the tournament.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said attempts to try to persuade the Bundesliga side to allow the 22-year-old to play at the Incheon Games, which begin next month, had failed.
“Leverkusen informed us that they cannot release Son for the Asian Games,” KFA officials said on Wednesday.
“We re-requested they partially allow him to play, but Leverkusen declined, citing that they can’t release a player for matches that are not included in the FIFA calendar,” they said.
Clubs are not obliged to release players for international duty for matches which do not fall under the jurisdiction of soccer’s world governing body.
However, Hoffenheim defender Kim Jin-su and midfielder Park Joo-ho of FSV Mainz 05 were named among the 20-man South Korea squad, the only two players included who are playing in Europe this season.
Leverkusen’s tough stance is a double blow for Son as a gold medal at the Asian Games, an under-23 competition, automatically means an exemption from mandatory military service in South Korea.
South Korea, whose senior side famously reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup on home soil, last won the Asian Games soccer tournament in Seoul back in 1986.
Coach Lee Kwang-jong is pinning his hopes on towering striker Kim Shin-wook, last season’s South Korean player of the year.
“He has great skills for a player his size,” Lee told local media. “I think he should thrive against Asian opponents.”
The soccer competition runs from Sept. 14 — five days before the Asian Games officially begin — to Oct. 3.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put