AFF Suzuki Cup Final 2010

The AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 final was contested this week between Malaysia and Indonesia. This is the championship of ASEAN(The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) contested every years. Malaysia had beaten defending champions Vietnam 2-0 in one semifinal while Indonesia defeated The Phillipines by a similar 2-0 score in the other semifinal.

This is an emerging soccer region and while the quality of the football is quite poor (Indonesia and Malaysia are ranked 127 and 144 respectively in the FIFA rankings), tournaments like these make more teams stronger for Asian Championships and World Cup qualifying. Thailand, the leading power in this region, was the sole power for the longest time but now are consistantly knocked off by the other countries in the region. Didn't even make the semis this year after the drew against Laos. LAOS!!!!!

Here are the highlights. There were huge crowds! 90000 in Kuala Lumpur and 100000 in Jakarta!

1st Leg: Kuala Lumpur



2nd leg: Jakarta

A Famous Philippines Victory

The Philippines aren't really a sporting nation. Other than Manny Pacquiao, there's not much to cheer around in the international sports scene.

Ranked 151st in the FIFA Rankings and barely qualfying for the 8-team AFF Suzuki Cup SE Asian football tournament, they pulled off the shock of all shocks. Beating host and defending champions Vietnam in Hanoi!

Soccer: Woman's World Cup U-17

Did you know that at the 2010 FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup held in Trinidad and Tobago, three Asian nations made it to the semifinals?

South Korea defeated Spain 2-1 in one semifinal.

Japan defeated North Korea also by the score of 2-1 in the other semifinal, aided by this amazing winning goal.



Look at the moves! WOW!

And now the final. Yet another epic Japan-South Korean classic. Who do you think will win?

EA SPORTS FIFA 11: We Are 11 TV Ad

Very cool! They couldn't find any Arsenal players to appear in the commercial that they had a team of entirely Asian chicks? :D

Football Brawl: Beijing Guo An vs. Singapore Young Lions

Last night at the Jalan Besar stadium during a Singapore Professional Football League match, a player brawl incident between both the Beijing Guo An team and the Young Lions team occurred, causing the game to be ended by the referee. The Football Association of Singapore has already gotten involved, initiating an investigation into this rare incident of violence on the pitch.

This is the first brawl between players to occur this year in the Singapore League. At the 89th minute of last night’s match between the Beijing Guo An team and Young Lions, for unknown reasons, the two sides suddenly clashed.



Seemed innocent enough at first then out of control.

Of course it's the refs fault, absolutely clueless. Watch the tackle at 1:52. The ref rushes up and gives a YELLOW CARD! SO stupid. He should have gave out red cards at the beginning of the video and none of this would have happened.

No North Koreans in Australia!

Source: Fail.com

This special World Cup feature in the Illawa Mercury, showcasing the diversity of the Australian region, has one peculiar photo representing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. So there are NO North Koreans in Illawa right!? Really?

World Cup Mascots: Borderline Offensive, Oddly Mincing

Source: Fast Company

This is one of the worst articles I've ever read. Talking about stereotypes in mascots. Does this writer not realize that the mascot is unique to the region where it is from?

South Korea and Japan joined to host the 2002 World Cup, which featured the world's first computer-generated mascots. Naturally, these fellas hail from a future where toilet seats do your homework and used panties are available in vending machines.

Really? Did you think OMG! toilets and panties when you see these guys? Where the fuck did that come from?

Apparently, in 1970, Mexico wasn't satisfied almost creating a racial caricature, with those squinty eyes and pudgy body...

Ok how is a Mexican supposed to look? Like Calvin and Hobbes?

so they seized the opportunity during the 1986 World Cup.

Pique is supposed to be a jalapeno pepper, and he sports a ginormous sombrero, ridiculous mustache, sleepy eyes, and ill-fitting clothes. For gross ethnic and cultural stereotypes, he's just a hair behind Speedy Gonzalez, who's been banned in the U.S. but is supposedly popular in Latin America.

I love the ginormous sombrero. How is a character that's like Speedy Gonzalez and loved in Latin American a gross stereotype! The writer just contradicted himself!

Smugly pointing his finger, with his head cocked like a know-it-all, Footix, the mascot of France '98, seems like he's less interested in playing soccer than giving you Americans a lecture about the benefits of a modern socialist state. And he seems happy to assure us: "Alors, if I do not geet more over-time benefeets, I will strike tomorrow!"

Holy shit. He's ranting about culture and the french working unions JUST from looking at a mascot!? Raise of hands. Did any of you think about the French 30 hour work week looking at a ROOSTER!?

Gauchito, Argentina's 1978 mascot, wears a neckerchief and carries a whip, which are apparently typical for Argentine cowboys of yore. He also looks like he's late for a playground meet-up with his partner-in-crime, Pedobear.

Wow! The writer has called the classic Argentinian cowboy a pedofile. This is one of the most insulting things I've ever heard.

You know what loser these mascots aren't offensive, it is you that has a sick sick and racist mind. These mascots are the pride of an entire country and even though some might not be the best, they are not offensive. How can something from it's own country be racist. Is this Political Correctness run amok? YOU are offended when another country depicts themselves in a way YOU view as a stereotype. That's ludicrous.

What's next? We have to use a colour other than black to draw a black guy?

Can 100 kids beat a professional Japanese club?

Why can't our game shows come up with cool ideas like this! Check this out, J. League football team Cerezo Osaka take on 100 Japanese primary school children. Can Cerezo Osaka breakthrough against the 40-30-30 formation school kids?

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


The corner kick formation for the school kids are hilarious!

Viva Barcelona: Jane Zhang

Source: Cfensi

Jane Zhang is officially too cool for all of us. We all know that she has that polished voice with incredible range, and an acute business sense that has lead her all the way to success. But this girl has many sides, and one of them is being a rabid soccer fan, one who’s great with predictions and done World Cup commentating. Her favorite team is FC Barcelona and she was invited to support their Chinese fansite through a new photoshoot, where she wears her own official jersey, emblazoned with Z.Jane and the number of her favorite player, Messi, whom she got to meet and gave her CDs to. The pictures will be featured in the August issue of a sports magazine.

Youtube Link

Chinese player gets life ban for ref attack

Source: Guardian

I had earlier posted the video of Chinese players chasing the ref at the National Games. The Chinese officials came down really hard on the punishment.

A footballer who led an attack on the referee after a qualifier for China's 11th National Games last weekend was banned for life by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Thursday.

In the latest incident to tarnish the reputation of Chinese soccer, Tianjin's Zhao Shitong chased referee He Zhibiao for over 100 metres and pushed him down to ground before being restrained by police at the end of a match against Beijing on Sunday.
Zhao was banned for life from any activity related to football, the CFA said in a statement on its website (wwww.fa.org.cn).

Several of his team mates were also handed lengthy bans for their part in the attack on He, who had dismissed three Tianjin players in Beijing's 3-1 victory.
Goalkeeper Li Gen and midfielder Hao Tengjiao, who chased the referee off the pitch, were each given three-year bans.

Two other players were banned for 30 months, two for two years, one for 10 matches and one for five matches. An official from Tianjin Teda, the local Chinese Super League club, was also banned for a year.

The incident came at the end of the final round of group matches in an under-20 competition to decide which of China's provinces and autonomous regions would qualify for October's National Games. Tianjin were eliminated.

That's pretty harsh!

Angry footballer chases the referee

Whatever happened to sportsmanship eh? Ref is going to give you a red card if to stomp on a guy! This is some amateur tournament but I've seen the top level Chinese Super League. It's unwatchable. The quality of Chinese football is absolutely horrible.


Youtube Link

Honey! Make Sure You Come Home On Time!

Source: The Straits Times

POLICE have detained a Malaysian woman who allegedly stabbed her husband in the chest for coming home late after watching a football match between Manchester United and Malaysia, an official said on Tuesday.

The man had promised to come back immediately after the match in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday evening, but his wife was 'very angry' when he returned after midnight, said district police chief Abdul Jalil Hassan.

The woman stabbed him twice in the chest with a kitchen knife and then took him to a hospital, where a doctor reported the incident to police, Abdul Jalil told The Associated Press.

'He was with friends after the match, so that's why he came home late,' Abdul Jalil said.

The man was recovering in the hospital, he said.

Police have not decided whether to charge the woman with any offense.

The English Premier League champions defeated Malaysia 3-2 on Saturday in their opening match on a preseason Asian tour.

Sheesh! If he's just going out the guys, no need to stab him! But this is probably the last drop that overflows the full glass of water. There must have been a history of him coming home late and cheating on her.

OR it could be that people lose their mind over soccer.

As they say: Mass genocide is the most exhausting activity one can engage in, outside of soccer.

Soccer: Iraq Eliminated

Tsk tsk tsk. Iraq got all the help it needed and still couldn't make the semifinals.

Spain defeated South Africa 2-0 which meant Iraq simply had to beat New Zealand to qualify. New Zealand SUCK. But Apparently Iraq aren't good enough to beat them.

Both Iraq and NZ go out of the competition without scoring a goal!


Youtube Link

The NZ keeper saving with his face was pretty cool :P

Soccer: Spain-Iraq

Source: FIFA

Iraq held their own against European Champions Spain but lost 1-0. This is a good result as they are still in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

South Africa beat New Zealand 2-0. So now Iraq needs to beat New Zealand by more than 2 goals (shouldn't be a problem, New Zeland absolutely suck)and South Africa need to lose to Spain (possible)

Here are the highlights:

Youtube Link

North Korea Qualify for 2010 World Cup

Source: FIFA

Korea DPR will return to the FIFA World Cup™ next year for the first time since 1966. Kim Jong Hun's side sealed their second trip to the global finals with a goalless draw in Saudi Arabia, who finished third in Group 2 and will now go into an Asian Zone play-off from which the winners will face New Zealand for a place at South Africa 2010.

The Saudis' opponents will be Bahrain, who beat Uzbekistan 1-0 at home to claim third place in Group 1. However, there was agony for Iran, whose hopes of a fourth FIFA World Cup appearance ended in a 1-1 draw with the already-qualified Korea Republic.

.....more

North Koreans are back in the World Cup! The last and only time they were in the World Cup in 1996 in England they shocked the world by knocking out Italy in the gorup stages and took a 3-0 lead in 20 minutes against Portugal in the quarterfinals only to lose 5-3.

North Korea joins neighbours South Korea, Australia and Japan as the four automatics Asian qualifiers.

Here's are the highlights of today's match. North Korea survived wave after wave of attacks and held on for the draw they needed to qualify.


Youtube Link

There was a documentary called The Game of Their Lives about that 1966 team.


Youtube Link

Soccer: South Africa-Iraq

A bit late on this cause I couldn't find a good highlight package.
Decent opening game from two not very decent teams. Iraq looks comfortable in the 1st half and South Africa dominated the 2nd half. Everyone is talking about the incredible miss from South Africa when the player cleared off the line from his own players shot.
However if you look closely the shot header was going across the goal and going wide.


Youtube Link

So in the end a 0-0 draw which keeps both teams still alive for a semifinal spot. It'll probably come down to goal difference unless one of these teams somehow doesn't lose to Spain or messed up again New Zealand. So whoever loses to Spain the least or beat New Zeland by the most will qualify.

And if you're wonder what the buzzing beehive noise is in the crowd is the South African Vuvuzela horn! Get 40000 of those horns in a stadium and that what it sounds like!

It's incredible how they can dance and blow for the entire 90 minutes! Get used to that sound cause you'll have to hear it next year at the World Cup, Most people think it's annoying. i'm getting used to it and liking it alot. Brings a unique atmosphere to the event which will be in Africa for probably the only time.

The next round of matches are on Wednesday June 17 (today).

Iraqi team a beacon of hope

Source: CBC

Even the most creative and talented screenwriter couldn't have written a script this compelling about the indomitable strength of the human spirit, the ability to overcome adversity in the most dire of circumstances, and the unifying power of sport.

It's a story tailor-made for Hollywood and the silver screen, but one that played out in real life on a lush, green soccer field in Jakarta

It was two years ago that the Iraqi national side — a team of Sunni, Shia and Kurdish players psychologically scarred by the daily chaos and ravages of the war raging back home — pulled off a major surprise when it upset powerhouse Saudi Arabia in the final of the Asian Cup in Indonesia.

Now, the Iraqis are attempting to shock the soccer world once more, this time in South Africa, when they compete at the FIFA Confederations Cup this month.

And not only can the reigning Asian champions count on the backing of supporters in Iraq, but also soccer fans all across the Middle East.

Shia, Sunni and Kurds come together

"Obviously the story is incredibly romantic about how a team of Shia, Sunni and Kurdish players all came together. It was a very proud nationalistic statement, but people from all over the Middle East got behind them because they were homeless," Montague explained.

"They could not play any matches or even train for a long while in Baghdad, so they lived this sort of nomadic existence where they would play matches and train in Oman, Jordan and Syria, and Dubai.

"And so there is this real sense that they represent the Middle East."

The Iraqis' victory in 2007 was all the more amazing when you consider that death, war, and attempts on their lives were are all things that they dealt with on a daily basis.

"A lot of the players were under threat of kidnap or assassination," explained Montague. "On the one hand, you had players who played abroad in Qatar, so they were worth money to their families, and they became targets of criminals and extortion.

"Terrorist groups would also target players because their victory was a nationalistic symbol; it was a unifying force, which both al-Qaeda and more separatist Shia elements and Kurdish elements were against."

Having already been eliminated from qualifying contention for the 2010 World Cup, Iraq is turning its focus to the Confederations Cup, and the belief is that the Asian champions can beat out hosts South Africa and New Zealand for second place behind Spain in Group A, thus booking a spot in the tournament semifinals.

.....more

The Confederations Cup starts Sunday with South Africa hosting Iraq in the opening match. The tournament has 8 teams, the 6 continent winners, Iraq, New Zealand, Egypt, USA, Spain and Brazil along with Italy the World Champions and South Africa the hosts. It's a tune-up tournament for the 2010 World Cup.

In the US all matches can be seen on ESPN2. In Canada some matches can be seen on CBC and some on some weird digital channel and the rest on internet. It's pretty messed up.

I'm looking forward to this tournament cause it usually has alot of goals. It's not life and death and teams like to experiment. I'll be cheering for Iraq to make the semifinals.

Here's video of Iraq's wonderful Asian Cup win in 2007 that qualified them for this tournament.


Youtube Link

World Record Red Card

The dubious honour of the fastest ever red card in professional football history goes to Tokyo Verdy midfielder Tomo Sugawara. The J2 game between Verdy and Sagan Tosu was barely nine seconds old when the referee blew for a deliberate foul on a Tosu striker through on goal.

A paltry 3043 fans were rattling around inside the 50000 seater Ajinomoto Stadium to witness the professional football record of Giuseppe Lorenzo's have a couple of seconds shaved off. Lorenzo had seen red after just ten seconds while playing for Bologna in 1990.

Despite playing the entire game with 10 men, Tokyo Verdy won easily 2-0.


Youtube Link

World Cup: North Korea On Top Of Group After UAE Victory

Source: Goal.com

Pak Nam Chol and Mun In Guk gave North Korea a big push in the direction of South Africa on Saturday afternoon in Pyongyang by giving their team a 2-0 win over UAE in their 2010 World Cup qualification clash.

With previous leaders South Korea inactive and Iran and Saudi Arabia doing battle later on Saturday, Group Two makes fine reading for all fans north of the 38th Parallel.

North Korea have ten points from five games, two ahead of their neighbours and Wednesday’s opponents South Korea and four more than Iran in third.

The defeat ends any UAE chance of a second appearance on the global stage and leaves the team with one point from five matches.

Watched a bit of this as it took place in the HUGE Kim Il-Sung stadium which holds over 100,000. North Korea dominated and could have been much more than 2-0. They are almsot certain now to make South Africa 2010, their first World Cup appearance since 1966. In the other match mentioned Saudi Arabia shocked Iran 2-1 in Tehran. Iran played poorly, were lucky enough to score first, then decided to defend and played more poorly. Two goals in the last 10 minutes won it for the Saudis. Also, Japan beat Bahrain 1-0 in Saitama and Uzbekistan are out of the basement as they crushed Qatar 4-0 in Tashkent.

Looks like at this point, Australia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea are cretain to go to South Africa 2010. UAE is out and the rest are fighting for the 3rd place playoff.

Soccer: Ten Asian Players To Watch In 2009

Source: Goal.com

As another year dawns, Goal.com Asia takes a look at ten players who may already be well-known in their respective nations, but could become a whole lot more famous in 2009.

10. Soe Myat Min (Finance and Revenue FC & Myanmar)
9. Vitaliy Denisov (FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Uzbekistan)
8. Khalfan Ibrahim (Al Sadd and Qatar)
7. Sunil Chettri (East Bengal and India)
6. Shannon Cole (Sydney FC & Australia)
5. Le Cong Vinh (Hanoi & Vietnam)
4. Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo & Japan)
3. Ahmad Khalil (Al Ahli & UAE)
2. Lee Chung-yong (FC Seoul & South Korea)
1. Eshan Hajysafi (Sepahan & Iran)

Should be a fun year as Asian Cup 2011 Qualifying begins and World Cup 2010 Qualifying concludes.