Football forward Eom guards against complacency ahead of semifinal duel vs. China

The Korea Times - Sep 28, 2026

NAGOYA, Japan — With Korea about to take on China in the semifinals of the Asiad men's football tournament this week, winger Eom Ji-sung said Monday the biggest threat to his team's gold medal chase may be complacency. "The moment we start taking wins for granted, we will fall apart," Eom said in a video released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Korea's under-23 team will face China at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, some 140 kilometers west of the main host city, Nagoya. Coached by Lee Min-sung, the young Taegeuk Warriors are trying to claim South Korea's fourth consecutive men's football gold medal. It has been mostly smooth sailing so far. Eom's hat trick powered South Korea past Qatar 4-1 in the first group stage match, and Korea blanked Saudi Arabia 2-0 to clinch the top spot in Group D. Then in the quarterfinals, Korea routed Vietnam 4-0. "The mood has been great in training sessions, after those wins in the group stage and the quarterfinals," Eom said. "Our attackers have been on fire. After I scored three times in the first

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Zamboanga batters Imus, keeps South playoff bid in MPBL
Sep 28, 2026

Zamboanga batters Imus, keeps South playoff bid in MPBL

MANILA, Philippines — Zamboanga SiKat asserted its superiority over Imus Yangkee, 86-61, on Monday to keep its playoff drive going in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Calapan City Coliseum in Oriental Mindoro. Improving on their 102-82 thumping of the Yangkees in their first encounter this year, the Zamboanguenos led by as many as 31 points (62-31) to arrange a knockout match with either the Mindoro Tamaraws or the Basilan Steel, who are battling each other in the second game, for the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the South Division. All 15 Zamboanga players scored, led by Brandon Wilson with 12 points plus rebounds; Levi Hernandez, with 10 points plus 6 rebounds; Joseph Gabayni, with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists; John Arthur Calisay, with 7 points and 4 rebounds; and Robin Rono, with 7 points and 4 assists. It was Paeng Are, the MPBL's first One Versus One champion, who was chosen the SportsPlus best player with 12 assists, 3 steals, 3 points and 2 rebounds. Zamboanga, with Calisay and Puray outscoring the entire Imus crew, 13-11 stormed ahead at halftime, 56-31, and never looked back. The Zamboanguenos ruled the boards, 61-40, and turned that into more points in the paint, 44-20. Imus concluded its campaign this year, putting to waste Dylan Darbin's 17 points and Ian Pardo's 16. The MPBL first held its games in Calapan in 2023 at the nearby Sentrong Pangkabataan Gym. Pola Mayor Jennifer "Ina Alegre" Cruz, team owner of the Mindoro Tamaraws, and Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon led thousands of spectators who filled the newly inaugurated coliseum. TMT