South Korea reach Asian Cup final

South Korea moved a step closer to burying their 55-year Asian Cup hoodoo when they grabbed a goal in each half to beat Iraq 2-0 on Monday and set up a final against Australia or United Arab Emirates.

Lee Jeong-hyeop gave the Taegeuk Warriors the lead with a 20th minute header and defender Kim Young-gwon lashed the second into the net five minutes after the break as the South Koreans reached the final for the first time since 1988.

Iraq, perhaps emotionally and physically drained by their dramatic quarterfinal victory over Iran last week, played with plenty of passion but were unable to become the first side to breach the Korean defence in five matches in Australia.

Their hopes of another fairytale run to the title to match their 2007 triumph were washed away in the Sydney rain and it is twice champions South Korea who will return to Stadium Australia next Saturday in search of a first Asian Cup crown since 1960.

South Korea had looked the most likely to score in a cagey opening to the match with Son Heung-min, the two-goal hero of South Korea's quarterfinal victory over Uzbekistan, drawing a fingertip save out of Jalal Hassan with a long-range effort.

A minute later and the Koreans were in front, Kim Jin-su curling a free kick into the box and Lee rising above the Iraqi defence to head down and into the net.

Iraq skipper Younis Mahmoud was making his presence felt up front but the Koreans are not a side to be bullied at the back and he was more often than not battling alone in the first half.

Even the persistent rain that fell on Sydney all day was not able to dampen the spirits of a noisy crowd of just over 36 000, the South Koreans at one end with inflatable batons and the band of Iraqis at the other accompanied by drums and whistles.

The Koreans had more to shout about but Iraq gave their supporters a lift with a flurry of attacks just before the break when winger Amjed Kalaf's raking drive forced Kim Jin-hyeon to get down low to push the ball across his goal.

The South Korea goalkeeper gave the Iraqis the sniff of an equaliser when he rashly charged out of his area three minutes after the break but another two minutes on and his team's lead had been doubled.

The ball bounced around the area in an extended bout of aerial ping-pong from a Son corner before Lee Jeong-hyeop chested the ball down for Kim Young-gwon to hit it first time from the edge of the box past the despairing dive of Hassan.

Iraq were forced to press forward but clear-cut opportunities were still few and far between for them while Hassan had to be at his sharpest to deny long-range efforts from South Korean skipper Ki Sung-yueng and Son inside a minute.

Kalaf continued to cause problems with his pace but there always seemed to be a South Korean foot or head to cut out the final ball and prevent a scoring chance.

It's like a holiday bed of nails - Klopp

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has said that he is optimistic regarding his side's survival chances as they head into the second half of the Bundesliga season.

The Westphalians occupied the penultimate position in the Bundesliga at the turn of the year after a dramatic fall from grace and, rather than challenging for a place in Europe next season, their focus is on avoiding relegation. Klopp, who has presided over the worst half a season in his coaching career, remains convinced they will pull away from danger and soon be able to forget about the first half of the campaign.

"We're not naively optimistic and we know that the pressure is not going to decrease, but we see potential and we know that we can sort it out," he told the Welt newspaper.

"Whatever happens, the end of the 34th match of the season is going to be the finishing point of an extraordinary season. It's going to be a season which will be full of unhappy memories. Finishing the first half of the season in 17th place feels like how taking a holiday on a bed of nails must feel."

But in spite of the poor results, Klopp insists he has been through much worse during his coaching career to date. However, not even he could have been prepared for what happened between August and December, when Dortmund managed to win only four while losing ten - more than any other side in the division.

"I avoided relegation on the final day of the season twice with Mainz," he recalled. "That was not particularly great either. It's not like we didn't have any solutions, it's just we didn't have any time to use them. It just went blow by blow and it was pretty hefty.

"And we are Borussia Dortmund, we wear yellow shirts and we're easy to spot. We're runners up, former champions, Champions League finalists, everywhere you go, people say 'you'll manage', but then we get torn apart on the field. It was like a spiral, particular towards the end of the first half of the season when we really didn't play well.

"But anybody who has been through negative moments has got to try to use them. We've got to accept that the first half of the season was how it was, but we mustn't carry it around with us like a rucksack the whole time."

Hummels plays down transfer talk

Borussia Dortmund's battle to avoid relegation will not be derailed by constant transfer talk regarding top players leaving the Bundesliga club, defender Mats Hummels said on Monday.

Last season's runners-up Dortmund, who were also German champions in 2011 and 2012, are 17th in the league, level on points with last-placed Freiburg after a terrible first half to the season saw them lose 10 of their 17 games.

Centre back Hummels, winger Marco Reus and midfielder Ilkay Guendogan are among several of their players reportedly being targeted by leading European clubs with Dortmund's possible failure to play in Europe next season fanning speculation.

"I cannot imagine that (distraction) happening," Hummels told Bild newspaper. "It is not that things have never been written before about us. Even about me there are things being circulated but I am still here."

Germany international Hummels, whose contract runs to 2017, has been repeatedly linked in recent seasons with a possible move to Manchester United and Barcelona among other clubs.

His Germany teammates Reus and Guendogan have also been linked moves to Spain's La Liga or the English Premier League.

Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp last week played down fears of a mass exodus of players should the club miss out on Europe.

"I will do it as I have done in the past seven years (at Dortmund)," Hummels said. "I will let things come to me and I am now just looking forward to the Bayer Leverkusen game and the season restart. I block everything else out."

The Bundesliga resumes on January 30 after the winter break.

Dortmund, despite their poor domestic form, have reached the Champions League knockout stage and face Juventus in the last 16 next month.

Drogba salutes Lampard and Terry

Didier Drogba has paid tribute to the inspirational way Chelsea teammates Frank Lampard and John Terry helped turn his career around after suffering some difficult times in his early days at Stamford Bridge.

The powerful Ivorian striker, signed in a big-money deal from Olympique de Marseille 11 years ago, was frequently criticised by reporters for the theatrical way he would go to ground but he said Lampard and Terry made him clean up his act.

"I'm very proud because I managed to push things and also that I learned from my mistakes," Drogba told Reuters in an interview, his relationship with the media turning full circle on Sunday night when he was honoured by the Football Writers' Association for his outstanding contribution to the game.

"I tried to learn the culture in order to know them (the media) better, to change. I needed to change the way they were looking at me because it was not the real Didier so I was really sad.

"But I'm really happy because now they know who I am. They know I'm passionate and when I do things I give all my heart.

"Being around players like Frank and John and to see the way Frank was dealing with the press, always clean, a gentleman, I think it helps. You have to take it as an example and for me he was a big example."

Drogba scored 157 goals in 342 appearances in his first spell at Chelsea, scooping up silverware along the way.

He left in a blaze of glory by scoring the equaliser in normal time and then the penalty shootout winner when the Londoners landed their maiden Champions League title in 2012 against Bayern Munich at the German club's Allianz Arena.

After short spells in China and Turkey, Drogba made an emotional return when he signed a one-year contract with Chelsea at the start of the season.

While he was returning, his great friend Lampard was leaving, the club's all-time record goalscorer signing a permanent deal with New York City before going out on loan to Manchester City.

LAMPARD RETURN

The former England midfielder will be back at Stamford Bridge on Saturday when Chelsea, who have a five-point lead over the Premier League champions, take on City in a title showdown.

"He is going to come back as a legend, the man who helped the club win so many trophies in the last 11 years," said Drogba who had an almost telepathic on-the-field understanding with Lampard.

"I expect the reception will be fantastic for him. He was involved in more than half of the goals I scored...so I owe him a lot."

Drogba turns 37 in March but he is not yet ready to hang up his boots and is hoping to be offered a new contract by Chelsea at the end of the season.

"I will certainly be playing next season," said the Ivorian who is also an ambassador for Turkish Airlines.

"I want to compete, I want to play in the Premier League because it is the best league in the world."

Of more immediate concern to Drogba, though, is that Chelsea bounce back quickly from their shock 4-2 home defeat by third tier Bradford City in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Next up for the Londoners is the second leg of their League Cup semifinal with Liverpool on Tuesday and the striker has Wembley firmly in his thoughts.

Drogba has a remarkable record at the famous old northwest London venue, having scored eight goals in eight appearances there.

"All I can say is I've been lucky to score every time I have been there which makes it a very special stadium for me," he said with a grin.

Gilardino returns to Fiorentina

Fiorentina have confirmed the return of striker Alberto Gilardino on loan from Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande until the end of the season.

The 32-year-old moved to China in the summer from Genoa, but Fiorentina's deal includes an option to buy the 2006 Fifa World Cup™ winner at the end of the season.

A statement on the club's website said: "ACF Fiorentina announces the acquisition on a temporary basis, with the option to buy, the rights to the player Alberto Gilardino from Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club until June 2015."

Gilardino arrived in Italy over the weekend to complete the formalities of his return to the Viola, where he played from 2008 to 2012, scoring 59 goals in 143 appearances in all competitions after his move from AC Milan.

Speaking to the Fiorentina website after arriving at the club, Gilardino said: "I will return here with great desire. I say thank you to the president and the club staff who wanted me here."

After leaving Fiorentina, Gilardino signed for Genoa, with a spell at Bologna on loan, before moving to China. Gilardino, who has scored 19 goals in 57 appearances for Italy, will be formally introduced at a press conference on Wednesday.

'Sturridge could return against Chelsea'

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge could make his long-awaited return from injury in their League Cup semifinal second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, manager Brendan Rodgers said.

Former Chelsea striker Sturridge, who scored 25 goals for Liverpool in all competitions last season, has not played for the Merseysiders since August after a series of persistent injuries.

Sturridge travelled to the United States over the Christmas period for treatment on a thigh problem and, having since returned to training with the first team, Rodgers is hoping the England striker will be ready in time to face Chelsea.

"He (Sturridge) trained very, very well yesterday and that was as comfortable as he's looked," Rodgers told a news conference on Monday.

"He looked back to normal. We won't risk it that's for sure, he's been out for a long time and we need to make sure he's ready."

Raheem Sterling's stunning individual goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw in last week's semifinal first leg at Anfield.

DIFFICULT RESULT

Premier League leaders Chelsea were dumped out of the FA Cup by League One (third tier) Bradford City on Saturday and Rodgers is wary of a backlash from Jose Mourinho's side.

"They had a difficult result at the weekend but it doesn't mean they're not a dangerous team and an outstanding team," he said.

"We know it will be a tough game but we are certainly going in with no fear and our strength is in attack.

"There will be great motivation for them to go out there with a Wembley final at stake but I'm sure there will be a wee bit of trepidation."

With a week to go before the transfer window shuts, Rodgers said he does not expect to make any new signings.

The Liverpool boss also played down suggestions that misfit striker Mario Balotelli, who is yet to score a league goal in 12 appearances since his 16 million pounds ($24.01 million) move from AC Milan in August, is to leave the club.

"We'll give Mario every chance," Rodgers said. "We brought him in to give him every chance to show that he can perform consistently for a team at this level.

"I've seen clippings saying this morning (Monday) that's him over with here and that's not the case."

Malmo snap up Norway star Eikrem

A busy transfer period for Swedish champions Malmo FF continued on Monday with the signing of Norway midfielder Magnus Wolff Eikrem, a free agent who last played for Cardiff City.

The 24-year-old Eikrem, who has 14 caps, was among the Norwegian contingent signed by former Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who found themselves surplus to requirements when the former Manchester United striker left the Welsh club.

Released from his contract in December, Eikrem will be reunited with ex-Cardiff teammate Jo Inge Berget at the southern club, who won the Allsvenskan for the second time in a row and reached the Champions League group stage in 2014.

"The reason that it was Malmo is mostly because they are the biggest club in Scandinavia at the moment, so it was quite a simple choice," Eikrem said in a statement announcing his arrival.

Malmo's success has come at a cost, however, as clubs around the world have snapped up the likes of striker Isaac Kiese Thelin (Girondins Bordeaux), midfielder Markus Halsti (DC United) and wingers Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig) and Magnus Eriksson (Guizhou Renhe, China).

"Magnus Wolff Eikrem is a very skilful playmaker in central midfield, and will be a good addition to the team," said Malmo's sporting director Daniel Andersson.