TOKYO: Born and raised in Japan, three North Korean football players are expecting to face boos from the home crowd in a match that comes less than two weeks after the latest North Korean test missile splashed into the Sea of Japan.
An Byong Jun, Kim Song Gi and Lee Yong Jick, who play their club football for J League division 2 sides, will represent North Korea when they take on Japan in Tokyo on Saturday in the final round of the East Asian Football Championship.
The sporting contest is being held with the world still on edge after the North heightened alarm in South Korea, Japan and the US by test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29 that appeared to demonstrate increasing range.
North Korea has test-fired missiles over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido twice earlier this year and has threatened to sink Japan into the sea with a nuclear bomb.
Unsurprisingly, Kim, a 29-year-old central defender, who hails from Hyogo prefecture in western Japan and plays his club football for Machida Zelvia in Tokyo, expects a hostile reception from Japanese supporters.
“Bring on the booing,” said Kim. “Being booed actually gets me fired up. I was brought up that way and it doesn’t really bother me.”
He is eager to avenge a one-nil loss when he first played against Japan for North Korea six years ago.
Kim, An and Lee all took up football when they were children attending Pyongyang-affiliated schools in Japan and saw playing as a North Korean international as the path to the highest level.
“Football was all I thought about when I was a kid and it was my dream to play for North Korea,” Kim said. “My biggest goal now is to go to the World Cup.”
Japanese nationality is inherited through parents, not place of birth, meaning the three players of North Korean descent are considered foreigners and ineligible to play for Japan’s national team.
The players’ status as permanent residents in Japan is a throwback to the complex and conflicted relationship between the countries.
Many Koreans were forced to move to Japan during its occupation of the Korean peninsula before and during World War Two, and suffered discrimination.
They and their descendants are now eligible to become naturalized Japanese citizens, but many are loath to do so because that would involve giving up their Korean nationality and suffering a perceived loss of cultural identity.
There were about 339,000 people with special permanent resident status — mostly those with Korean or Taiwanese ancestry — living in Japan last year, government data shows.
“I’ve never thought of taking Japanese citizenship,” said Kim. “My soul is 100 percent North Korean.”
Lee, a 26-year-old Osaka native playing his first match against Japan, said he wasn’t sure how the fans would react, noting that the team had expected boos when they played in South Korea but received applause instead.
“It’s complicated,” said the Kamatamare Sanuki defender, who switches to midfield for North Korea.
“I hope we’re treated the same as other teams that play against Japan. To be honest I hope we don’t get booed.”
Regarding political tensions, he said that things might seem bad looking only at the news in Japan but that he and his teammates had also seen a good side to North Korea on their trips to Pyongyang, on school trips and for training camp.
An, who will also be playing his first match against Japan, said he was looking forward to playing in his hometown Tokyo and expected a good turnout from ethnic Korean fans.
He said he had a lot of J League friends on the Japanese squad with whom he exchanges text messages and he was looking forward to a good match regardless of international tensions.
“Football’s great because teams can play fair and square and those kind of politics don’t matter,” said the 27-year-old Roasso Kumamoto forward.
“All I want to do is go out and represent my country as a football player.”
Japan and North Korea last met in 2015, at the East Asia Football Championship in China, where North Korea prevailed 2-1.
This year’s men’s tournament, which also features China and South Korea, runs Dec. 9-16. The women’s tournament, comprising the same countries, is being held Dec. 8-15.
For Japan-born North Korean football players, politics do not matter
For Japan-born North Korean football players, politics do not matter
’Europe’s best’ Liverpool aim to pile pain on Man City
- Jude Bellingham said Real Madrid were beaten by “the best-performing team in Europe
Beleaguered Manchester City are next to run the gauntlet against the rampant Reds on Sunday as Liverpool sense the opportunity to land a knockout blow to Pep Guardiola’s men in the Premier League title race.
Slot has won 17 and drawn one of his 19 matches in all competitions since replacing a legendary figure in Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool enjoy a commanding eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League and have one foot in the last 16 of the Champions League as the only side in the competition with a perfect record from five games.
Overcoming the might of Madrid was the sweetest one so far as Slott did what Klopp could not do during his glorious reign in leaving the kings of the Champions League with a bloodied nose.
Liverpool had not won in the previous eight meetings between the clubs, including defeats in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals.
“You know how special it is to play against a club that won this Champions League so many times, are the reigning champions and were a pain in the ass for Liverpool many times as well,” said Slot.
“We are happy where we are but we are not getting carried away by only winning in a group-stage game. This club wants more than only winning group-stage games.”
Slot described the visits of Madrid and City within the space of five days as an “incredible week.”
Halfway through they remain unscathed and are big favorites to take a huge step toward just a second league title in 35 years on Sunday.
Even at their strongest under Guardiola, City have not won in front of an Anfield crowd since 2003.
This version of the English champions is winless in six games and suffering from an existential crisis of confidence.
City blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord on Tuesday on the back of Guardiola’s first ever five-game losing streak as a coach.
Liverpool have often been the victim of City’s relentless consistency in the Guardiola era.
Twice Klopp’s sides finished second by the finest of margins despite amassing 97 points in 2018/19 and 92 three years later.
Now they have the chance to open up an 11-point lead that even Guardiola has conceded would be too much for his side to bridge.
“Man City is Man City. They have a bad time now but they have great players,” said Liverpool’s top goalscorer Mohamed Salah.
“We have a game against them so hopefully, we win it and go 11 points clear.”
In stark contrast to Manchester United’s struggles after the departure of Alex Ferguson, Liverpool have thrived despite the loss of a much-loved and charismatic leader in Klopp.
The German explained that part of his reasoning for stepping down when he did was that he was leaving the club in a good place.
Liverpool were on course for a quadruple deep into last season before faltering in the final months of the campaign as injuries and fatigue took hold.
But Klopp had helped rebuild a team in his final year that Slot is now bearing the fruits of.
Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored the goals against Madrid, neither of which were part of Klopp’s major glories in winning the Champions League and Premier League in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Slot also credited the club’s academy for adding depth to his squad after Caoimhin Kelleher and Conor Bradley shone against Madrid to mitigate the loss of Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury.
“We know that players that come in are really important to finish the games and if you want to win trophies, you need them,” said Mac Allister.
“Of course, you don’t want to be on the bench but we know that every guy here, when he comes in, does his best for the team.”
All three sides that have ever enjoyed an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League after 12 games went on to win the title.
On current form, Liverpool are an unstoppable force that an under-par City look incapable of handling.
Snyman leads International Series Qatar after first-round seven-under-par 65
- Advice from South African great David Frost helps Snyman flourish
DOHA: South African Ian Snyman says spending two days in the company of one of his country’s finest golfers, David Frost, played a big part in his fine run of form recently — a run that includes taking the lead on the opening day of the $2.5 million International Series Qatar on Wednesday.
Snyman carded a confident seven-under-par 65 at Doha Golf Club to lead the way from compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, Spaniard David Puig and Zach Bauchou from the United States, who carded 66s.
Two other Spaniards, Luis Masaveu and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, fired 67s, as did Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand and Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, in the penultimate event of the season for the Asian Tour and The International Series.
After today’s opening salvo, consisting of an eagle, seven birdies, and one double, Snyman is on course to make his 12th successive cut on the Asian Tour, as well as put himself in position to claim his first title on the circuit.
“My coach, Paul McKenzie, and I have been working on a few things and I also got some advice from David Frost. He is a former Asian Tour winner having won in Hong Kong,” Snyman said of Frost — winner of the Hong Kong Open in 1994 and 29 titles around the world.
“About five months ago we spent two days with David. We were trying to find some consistency, that was my main concern. Looks like we are getting there. Just need to get some low ones like we did today, which is exciting.
“The big thing we worked on with David was the takeaway. I always take the club back outside and get laid off at the top. He kind of helped me feel a way to get it straighter.
“Another big thing was not to be so rigid. I would be very stickman-like golf, my left arm would be very stiff and strong but he kind of got me to relax a bit more, you can actually bend that left arm.”
He was cruising at eight under with two to play but made double on the par- three 17th.
He duffed his chip and three putted but bounced back on the par-five 18th hitting his third to two feet.
Puig is making his first appearance on the Asian Tour since April — in that time he has played in the LIV Golf League, three majors and the Olympics, where he played alongside Jon Rahm.
“Pretty solid, especially after a month off tournaments. Super, super proud of how I fought,” said Puig, winner of the season-opening Malaysian Open and runner-up in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where American John Catlin beat him in a play-off.
“Didn’t hit it that good but somehow managed to post a pretty good score. Hit a lot of greens in regulation, which is something I have been working on.”
His compatriot Masaveu, 21, was even happier because the day marked his debut as a professional in a Tour event.
“First tournament as a professional, so very happy,” said the Spaniard, who birdied the last three holes and has his dad, Rafa, caddying for him.
“To be honest, I didn’t really think about this being my first event as a pro. The good thing is my coach Gonzalo (Fernandez-Castano) is also playing. We did a good plan. I just tried to stay focused on my emotions.”
Masaveu finished third in this year’s US Amateur, having been beaten by compatriot and eventual winner Jose Luis Ballester 3&2 in the semis, and could be one to watch this week.
The International Series Rankings, which will reward the champion with a place in next year’s LIV Golf League, will go down to the wire at next week’s $5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
Thailand’s Ratchanon Chantananuwat, the amateur star currently in his freshman year at Stanford University, returned a 71 in his first appearance on the Asian Tour since April.
International Series Qatar takes place at Doha Golf Club from Nov. 27-30. For tickets and further information, visit www.internationalseries.com.
Pakistan wins the toss and elects to bat in third and final ODI against Zimbabwe
- Pakistan recovered from a first-match loss with a 10-wicket win in the second ODI
- ODI series will be followed by three Twenty20 matches at Bulawayo from Sunday
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the third and final one-day international against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Pakistan bounced back from a shocking loss in the rain-affected first match with a 10-wicket win in the second game after a maiden ODI century from Saim Ayub.
The tourists retained the same winning combination with Faisal Akram, Abrar Ahmed, and Salman Ali Agha the three spin options.
Ahmed and Salman sliced through the Zimbabwe batting lineup in the second match by sharing seven wickets between them with leg-spinner Abrar getting 4-33 in his debut ODI.
Zimbabwe brought in wicketkeeper-batter Clive Madande and fast bowling all-rounder Faraz Akram for their first game of the series in place of Brandon Mavuta and Trevor Gwandu.
The ODI series will be followed by a three-match Twenty20 series starting at Bulawayo from Sunday.
LIV Golf’s Herbert in charge at Australian Open, Smith two back
- Smith, who finished second at last week’s Australian PGA Championship, is yet to win an Australian Open and has made no secret of his desire to do so
- In the women’s tournament, Australia’s Su Oh shared a one shot lead with South Korean teenager Yang Hyo-jin ahead of major winner Hannah Green
MELBOURNE: Lucas Herbert drained an eagle at the last in a flawless eight-under-par 63 Thursday to lead the Australian Open in Melbourne and upstage LIV Golf teammate Cameron Smith who trails by two.
In the women’s tournament, Australia’s Su Oh shared a one shot lead with South Korean teenager Yang Hyo-jin ahead of major winner Hannah Green.
Starting on the 10th, Australia’s Herbert sunk six birdies to no bogeys before his sensational eagle propelled him into the outright lead at the second event of the DP World Tour’s 2025 season.
He ended one clear of Rintaro Nakaro — Japan’s amateur champion in 2023 — and American Ryggs Johnson, with 2022 British Open champion Smith a shot further back in a four-way tie.
The mixed Australian Open involves men and women teeing off in alternating groups on the same courses.
Kingston Heath in Melbourne’s famous sandbelt region is the main venue across all four days with Victoria Golf Club also hosting play on the opening two days.
“I felt like there was a lot of shots left out there,” said Herbert, a three-time winner on the European circuit, after negotiating soggy fairways and soft greens.
“I feel like that with every round of golf, to be fair, but didn’t really think I holed that many. Just hit it quite nicely.”
Nakaro was the early pacesetter with eight birdies, but his round was spoilt by a bogey at the last.
“I’m surprised but very happy,” said the 21-year-old, who plans to turn professional next year.
Smith, who finished second at last week’s Australian PGA Championship, is yet to win an Australian Open and has made no secret of his desire to do so.
He was one-over after three, but then reeled off six straight birdies to remain in the hunt.
“I mean the greens are soft and there wasn’t much wind out there this morning, so a lot of those par-fives played really quite short whereas typically you get one hole into the wind or something like that,” he said.
“So yeah, I was just able to take advantage of that.”
At stake for the men is a place at next year’s British Open at Royal Portrush with the top three earning a spot.
Chilean defending champion Joaquin Niemann, Smith and Englishman Jordan Smith are already exempt.
Niemann, also on the LIV Tour, had a day to forget with 73 while Smith carded 70.
Australia’s Su shot nine birdies in her 66 to lead the women’s field alongside Yang, just 17.
But they have Green, a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour this year, breathing down their neck.
“I’ve worked really hard the last few months and felt like I was hitting the ball a lot better and just happy and proud,” said Su.
South African defending champion Ashleigh Buhai struggled to 73 to be seven adrift.
Record number of local golfers to take part in 2024 Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club
- Four Saudis, including Othman Almulla and Faisal Salhab, will participate in next week’s tournament
- Locals join Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton and Bubba Watson in stellar line-up
RIYADH: For the first time in its history, the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers will feature an unprecedented line-up of Saudi Arabian players with four representatives from the Kingdom in the event, which takes place from Dec. 4-7 at Riyadh Golf Club.
Othman Almulla, Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif and Khalid Walid will take part in the competition, marking a groundbreaking moment for Saudi golf on a global stage. They are joined by Golf Saudi ambassador, the UK-born Shergo Al-Kurdi, who represents Jordan internationally.
Almulla, Saudi Arabia’s first professional golfer, has paved the way for the game’s growth in the Kingdom and remains a key ambassador for the sport. Before turning professional in 2019, he became the first Saudi golfer to win the Qatar Open and qualify for two professional events, the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2008 Qatar Masters.
“It’s an honour to be part of this milestone for Saudi golf, competing alongside my fellow countrymen on such a prestigious stage,” Almulla said. “The PIF Saudi International is a testament to the incredible progress golf has made in the Kingdom and the bright future ahead. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without Golf Saudi’s support, and I’m proud to represent Saudi Arabia while inspiring the next generation of golfers to elevate the game even further.”
Salhab turned professional last year and has represented Saudi Arabia at various international tournaments, including the Pan Arab Golf Championships. Attieh, meanwhile, made history in February 2024 at the International Series Oman when he became the first amateur player from Saudi Arabia to make the cut.
Almulla, Salhab and Al-Sharif are also Golf Saudi ambassadors, whose mission is to elevate the game in the Kingdom.
The growing number Saudi players, who will be competing alongside global superstars such as Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, reflect the targets set by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which aims to establish the Kingdom as a global golf destination.
Alongside the professional action, the Saudi International aims to encourage more individuals, particularly young Saudis, to take up the sport.
Through its Go Golf initiative, Golf Saudi offers three months of free lessons for all new golfers in the Kingdom, followed by 12 complimentary rounds, as well as discounted memberships and coaching. Golf Saudi is committed to expanding access to the sport for players at all levels and building a vibrant golf community in the Kingdom.
