Everyone a winner in charity friendly match

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Everyone a winner in charity friendly match

Korea may have been knocked out of the Round of 16 at this year’s World Cup, but for some of the members of the national football team, they had another mission to achieve. The Taegeuk Warriors, along with a group of K-League players, formed an all-star team that took on the Ansan Hallelujah FC in a friendly match for charity on Saturday.

Featuring Park Chu-young, Ki Sung-yueng and other notable players and managed by national team captain Park Ji-sung, the all-star team defeated the second-tier National League team 3-1.

However, the outcome of the match wasn’t as important as the good time had by participants and attendees alike. And with the proceeds from the game going to a scholarship fund for needy children from multiethnic families, everyone came out a winner.

It didn’t take long for the all-star team to net the opening goal as Park Chu-young scored 10 minutes into the match. He and his teammates celebrated by rotating their arms in imitation of Park Ji-sung’s actions after his goal in the Greece game on June 12.

Yoo Byung-soo scored goals for the all-star team in the 14th and 59th minutes. After his second goal of the game, Yoo ran to the bench to find his Incheon United teammate Kang Soo-il, who is biracial, and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Organized to benefit the large population of children from multiethnic families in Ansan, national football team veteran defender Lee Young-pyo was instrumental in rallying his teammates for the charitable event.

“Most of the players on the national team spend time abroad,” Lee Young-pyo said at a press conference in explaining the importance of holding such games. “We have experienced being foreigners. As such, we have also dealt with discrimination in some form or another in the past.”

The Taegeuk Warriors will now have some time to rest before rejoining their respective professional teams.


By Jason Kim [jason@joongang.co.kr]
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