South Korea football coach quits as president calls for probe into World Cup loss

By Jake Kwon, SEOUL South Korea

Hong Myung-bo has resigned as head coach of South Korea's men's national football team after they failed to advance to the World Cup knockout stage.

The team had hoped they could still qualify for the next round of the tournament as one of the best third-placed teams, but that hope was quashed on Saturday.

The early exit has prompted widespread criticism at home, with President Lee Jae-myung calling for an investigation into reasons behind the team's disappointing performance.

Hong apologised to fans on Sunday and said the responsibility "rests entirely with me as head coach".

Ranked 32nd in FIFA's men's rankings and led by star player Son Heung-min, South Korea recorded two losses and one win at the World Cup, finishing behind Mexico and South Africa, who are ranked 15th and 60th respectively.

Criticism mounted quickly after the team's last match with South Africa on Thursday, which South Korea lost 1-0.

The defeat left South Korea third in Group A, but still gave them hope to qualify for the next round under a new rule introduced with this tournament's expansion from 32 to 48 teams, which allows the eight best third-placed teams in the group stage to progress to the knockout round.

Announcing his resignation at a news conference in western Mexico, Hong said that "we didn't deliver the results that our fans expected".

"Even though I am leaving the national team, I am not abandoning Korean football altogether," Hong said. "I will cheer for the national team from the bottom of my heart and hope that the team will be trusted and loved by the people once again."

The announcement came after President Lee said that he felt "not just confusion but utter bewilderment at the unexpected outcome".

In a post on X, Lee said that the early exit of the team "appears to be a failure of organisation and personnel".

"When favouritism and cronyism take precedence over competence in selecting a commander, the result is as predictable as fire burning paper," he said.

Hong's appointment to the head coach post was controversial from the start. The former defender was a hero of South Korea's 2002 World Cup success, having captained the team to a historic semi-final finish. But when he led the team as a coach in 2014, they failed to advance beyond the group stage - or win a single match.

When Hong was appointed to the same job again in 2024, it was met with harsh uproar. Many football fans criticised the appointment as football association's old guards giving the top job to their friend, as the KFA passed on a few foreign-born candidates who had undergone a rigorous vetting process.

On Sunday, Hong said that "accepting the job was not an easy choice".

"I cannot say every decision has been the right one, but I can tell you that I have made every decision with Korean football in mind," he added.

South Korea police say that they are watching for security threats at Incheon Airport and other locations after a death threat was made online against Hong on his return to Korea over the weekend, local media reported.

Canada score late to send South Africa back home

LOS ANGELES, United States 

Canada beat South Africa 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time strike by Stephen ⁠Eustaquio from distance to reach the FIFA World Cup last 16 for the first time in their history.

Canada's Stephen Eustaquio, centre, celebrates after scoring.

Eustaquio received the ball on the edge of the ⁠South Africa penalty area and hammered it past diving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams in a thrilling conclusion to the first knockout-round match of the tournament on Sunday.

South Africa, who had seemed ⁠content to play for extra time and a possible penalty shootout, made a few furious but unsuccessful attempts to level before the final whistle as the sun broke through the clouds at Los Angeles Stadium.

Canada will next face either the Netherlands or Morocco on July ‌4 in Houston for a place in the quarterfinals.

“It’s about the two years we’ve been together,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch told the team in a huddle after the final whistle.

“Think about how we talked about sticking to the plan – you guys showing your character. You guys are Canadian heroes here.”

Chances were scarce in a cagey first half, with little to separate the sides, who were both playing ⁠in the knockout rounds for the first time.

Canada’s best opening ⁠came just before half-time when a corner sparked a scramble in the South Africa box. Moise Bombito sent a header goal-wards, which was cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba, before Tajon Buchanan’s close-range effort struck ⁠Williams in the chest.

Moments later, Richie Laryea went down in the area, prompting Canadian appeals for a penalty, but the decision ⁠not to award a spot kick stood after a ⁠VAR review, prompting loud boos from Canada’s red-clad army of supporters dominating the stands.

Marsch continued to protest as the teams left the field at half-time, with Bombito appearing to urge him away from the referee.

Frustration ‌for Canada only grew early in the second half, as South Africa appeared in no rush to press the issue.

Canada had another chance just before the second-half hydration ‌break, ‌when Tani Oluwaseyi’s shot hit the keeper, and Jonathan David was unable to head the ricochet home, thanks to an excellent defensive effort by Mbekezeli Mbokazi to clear the ball.

Eustaquio dedicated the win to “all Canadians” when he spoke to reporters after the match.

“I think it was an amazing goal. When I shot, I thought everyone shot with me. Everyone added a little power to it when it went into the back of the net.

“[The belief] It started when we came out of group stage. Belief is a big part of it. We will now get either Netherlands or Morocco. Anything can happen. If we keep working like we are doing, we might even win it.”

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 29/6/2026

 

Eleven killed after plane carrying skydivers crashes in eastern France

TOMBLAINE, France 

Eleven people have died after a civilian aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in the town of Tomblaine in eastern France, local authorities said.

The pilot and 10 passengers died in the incident, including five students and five instructors, according to local officials.

The plane, which was being used by a parachutist school, had taken off from Nancy-Essey airfield when it crashed, local media reported.

Police have urged the public to avoid the area around the airport in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department.

French transport minister Philippe Tabarot said he and interior minister Laurent Nunez were travelling to the scene of the crash, which he called a "terrible tragedy".

Yves Seguy, the prefect of the eastern department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, said that no bystanders were injured in the incident, according to the AFP news agency .

The crash took place in a built up area near a shopping centre, AFP reports.

"The plane fell almost vertically, in the immediate vicinity of a housing estate, on the edge of the airfield," Seguy told French broadcaster BFM, adding it was lucky there were no additional victims.

Half of the skydivers who died were nurses, Thierry Pechey, president of the Meurthe-et-Moselle branch of the Order of Independent Nurses, told BFM.

Local officials also said relatives of the victims were present at the airfield when the crash happened. They were reportedly there to watch the dive, which was a first skydiving experience for the five students.

A witness to the crash, who declined to be identified, told Reuters he saw the plane veering off to the right as he was driving past.

"Something was clearly wrong," he said.

The man did not see the crash, due to an embankment by the side of the road, but he says he heard the sound.

When he arrived at the site, he tried to help extinguish the wreckage of the plane, which had caught fire.

"We saw right away that it was over, that they had all died instantly. There was no movement, and it was clear the impact had been too violent for there to be any survivors."

A team of specialists was on its way to investigate the cause of the incident, Meurthe-et-Moselle department president Chaynesse Khirouni told local media.

Death toll in Venezuela quakes tops 1,400 as rescuers race to pull out survivors

By Vivian Sequera, CARACAS Venezuela 

The death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes rose above 1,400 on Saturday as ​foreign rescue teams poured into the country and authorities pressed on with the search for survivors in the hardest-hit coastal areas.

The updated toll came as ‌rescuers fanned out across La Guaira and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and bodies from the rubble, often complaining of scant heavy equipment and a limited official presence.

Officials said more than 1,600 foreign rescuers had arrived and that additional teams were on the way, adding to a growing international response to the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday and unleashed hundreds of aftershocks.

In Caraballeda, one of the ​worst-hit areas of La Guaira, U.S. helicopters ferried rescue teams into a dusty landing zone, according to Reuters witnesses, dropping off crews before taking off again.

Among the crowds ​of volunteers was Alejandro Serrano, a 33-year-old industrial engineer who had traveled from San Cristobal in western Venezuela searching for his 24-year-old sister, Ana ⁠Serrano, who lived in the Bahía Mar building in Caraballeda, which was destroyed in the quakes.

Serrano said he searched Thursday night at Caracas' Perez Carreno Hospital, but did not find her. ​He said he had given his sister's details and the address to rescue teams from Argentina and El Salvador.

"I hope they don't find her" in the rubble, he said, meaning he hoped ​she was still alive. "But I need to find her."

Residents said the response in some areas had been uneven, though heavy machinery was working in parts of Caraballeda and Los Corales by Saturday.

In the small Los Corales area known as Valle del Pino, Beisy Rivas, 60, said five or six homes in her neighborhood were still standing but had been damaged.

"Since the night of the earthquakes, almost all the neighbors ​have been sleeping in the street because of the aftershocks," she said. "My nerves are on edge, thinking about the dead and about the people who lost relatives."

Nearby, Yendri Santana said some ​homes in her 30-house development had cracks in the walls, though no one there had died. Sitting on a curb with Rivas after collecting food donations from a truck, Santana said her sister had ‌lost her small ⁠home but survived.

"It hurts to see people struggle so much only to lose everything," she said.

Authorities continued to restrict access to La Guaira and maintained controls on the main road from Caracas, saying traffic was slowing emergency vehicles. Civilians not attached to official rescue teams needed credentials to pass checkpoints.

Power throughout the region was gradually returning. Venezuela's power grid, crippled by years of underinvestment and economic sanctions, regularly experiences problems, leading to daily, hours-long blackouts in some regions.

Although the government has said hundreds are missing or trapped, more than 55,000 people are listed as unaccounted ​for on a website promoted by the country's ​opposition.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated more than ⁠10,000 deaths were possible from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes, which would place them among Latin America's deadliest of the last century.

The disaster could have political consequences for interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who has portrayed herself as an agent of change even though she served as ​vice president to Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted and arrested by the U.S. in January.

Pope Leo, speaking in Rome on Saturday, offered ​prayers for the victims, their ⁠families and those involved in relief operations, and said he hoped global solidarity with Venezuela would endure.

The U.S. has sent aid to Venezuela in the aftermath of the quakes. A senior U.S. administration official said on Saturday that a funding package worth hundreds of millions of dollars is expected to be announced within the next day or so, in addition to $150 million that the Trump administration has ⁠already committed.

​A White House official also told Reuters that a renewed push by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who left ​Venezuela late last year, for U.S. help to return home is frustrating senior officials in Washington, who said it was too soon after the disaster.

Messi scores again as Argentina beats Jordan 3-1

By Stephen Hawkins,  TEXAS United States 

Giovani Lo Celso became the first Argentina player other than Lionel Messi to score in this World Cup as the defending champions finished the group stage with a three-game sweep after a 3-1 victory over Jordan on Saturday night.

Lo Celso, in his first World Cup start, put Argentina ahead to stay when he scored on a direct free kick in the 19th minute. Messi added one of his own after entering the game in the second half, and the top scorer in World Cup history extended his mark to 19 goals.

Messi, the leader in this tournament with six goals, was among nine Argentina starters changed from the previous game since Group J was already clinched before the match. He entered in the 60th minute, three days after his 39th birthday, and in the same stadium where he broke the scoring mark last Monday, and scored in the 80th minute.

Their captain had scored all five of Argentina’s goals in wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first-ever World Cup hat trick and then two goals in his record-setting game on Monday. He has scored in seven consecutive World Cup games, breaking a tie with France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho for the longest all-time streak.

In the first half, Lautaro Martinez put Argentina up 2-0 when he scored on a penalty kick in the 31st minute, in the same sequence when his close-range shot ricocheted off the crossbar.

Martinez, who was subbed out for Messi, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez were the only players to start all three of Argentina's group matches.

Argentina, which has seven wins and two draws in its last nine World Cup games, plays in the round of 32 on Friday against Cape Verde, the smallest country to earn a spot in the knockout round. That game is in Miami, the home of Messi’s Major League Soccer team.

This is the fifth time Argentina has won all of its matches in group stage, and first since back-to-back tournaments in 2010 and 2014. Argentina has 14 wins, two losses and three draws in its last 19 group games.

France and Mexico were the only other squads in this expanded 48-team World Cup to get the maximum nine points in the group stage.

Jordan, the world’s 72nd-ranked team, lost all three of its games in the squad’s first appearance in the international tournament. The team was outscored 8-3.

Mousa Altamari, who entered the game at the start of the second half, scored in the 55th minute for Jordan.

Lo Celso and Martinez both scored their first World Cup goals.

Only a couple of minutes after Lo Celso was offside when he kicked the ball in the net but not counting for a goal, he got a free kick after being tripped up just outside the penalty box by Mohannad Abutaha, who drew a yellow card.

That was the first direct free kick for an Argentina goal in a World Cup since Messi against Nigeria in 2014.

After Martinez shot off the crossbar, Julian Alvarez followed with a header that was deflected by keeper Yazeed Abulaila over the net. But a VAR replay showed that Alvarez took a kick to the face on the play, setting up the penalty.

Messi had scored all five of Argentina’s goals in wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first World Cup hat trick and then two goals in his record-setting game on Monday.

Nicolás Paz, who made his World Cup debut subbing in for Messi late in the 3-0 win over Algeria in the opener, made his first start in his spot this time. Paz and Lo Celso were joined by forwards Marcos Senesi and Giuliano Simeone making first World Cup starts.

Paz and Simeone are the first sons of former Argentina national team players to compete in a World Cup. Both were born in Europe.

DR Congo rally to beat Uzbekistan and secure progression

ATLANTA,  United States 

Democratic Republic of Congo advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time by rallying to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan.

The African nation was playing in soccer's biggest tournament for only the second time in their history after a 52-year absence.

Two second-half goals on Saturday (Sunday NZT) from Yoane Wissa and one from Fiston Mayele sealed the win and allowed DR Congo to join Cape Verde as another surprise qualifier for the round of 32.

Uzbekistan led through Eldor Shomurodov's first-half strike that looked set to end DR Congo's hopes.

But Sebastien Desabre's team, who had already pulled off one of the surprise results of the World Cup by holding Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their opening game, fought back after the break.

Trailing to Shomurodov's lobbed goal in the 10th minute, DR Congo equalised in the 68th when Wissa was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov in the box for a penalty.

Wissa picked himself up and sent Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way by rolling the ball into the bottom corner to spark a dramatic finale.

Mayele fired DR Congo ahead 10 minutes later when flicking past Nematov at the near post after Meschack Elia's shot was deflected.

Wissa put the result beyond doubt in added time with a curling shot into the bottom corner.

DR Congo's only previous appearance at the World Cup was when they competed as Zaire in 1974, losing all three games, including a 9-0 rout at the hands of Yugoslavia.

The draw against Portugal was their first point on this stage and they needed to follow that up with a first win to advance as one of the best third placed teams.

They became the eighth African nation to advance from the group stage at this tournament.

Uganda CDF orders closure of NTV Uganda, other major news outlets

By Our Correspondent, KAMPALA Uganda 

Uganda's media freedom came under renewed scrutiny on Sunday after the country's military reportedly shut down Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda's broadcast and print operations following an order issued by Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba

The dramatic move saw NTV Uganda, Spark TV, and the Daily Monitor forced off air and their operations disrupted after armed security personnel surrounded the company's premises in Namuwongo, Kampala, as well as the Kampala Serena Hotel.

Muhoozi, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, announced the directive through his official social media account on June 28, declaring that the media houses would cease operations immediately.

"NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today," Gen Muhoozi posted.

"I have the power in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I want to. I have had this power since 2017. This power was given to me by my great father President @KagutaMuseveni . NTV and Daily Monitor are learning about it today." He insisted on his X page. Adding that from now on, all media in Uganda will follow rules.

The announcement came hours after he had warned that the two media outlets required President Museveni's clearance before they could continue operating.

According to reports from the Daily Monitor, heavily armed security personnel were deployed shortly after midnight, sealing off Nation Media Group's offices and preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises.

The overnight operation effectively crippled the broadcaster's television services, with viewers of NTV Uganda and its sister station Spark TV waking up to blank screens displaying the message "video unavailable."

NTV Uganda later confirmed the disruption, saying its broadcasts had gone dark by around 5 am local time on Sunday.

The station also shared images showing soldiers stationed outside its offices while confirming that its operations had been halted.

Staff members were reportedly confined within the premises as security officers maintained a heavy presence, further disrupting the publication of the Daily Monitor, Uganda's leading independent newspaper.

Nation Media Group, East Africa's largest independent media company headquartered in Kenya, owns several media platforms in Uganda, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, The East African, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and Nation Courier, among other investments. 

The shutdown sparked swift condemnation from exiled Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine, who accused Muhoozi of acting with the full backing of his father to silence critical voices.

"Muhoozi, acting with his father's full approval, has moved to silence Uganda's remaining independent voices by shutting down NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor, Dembe FM and Spark TV," Bobi Wine said.

Armed soldiers are on guard outside the headquarters of Daily Monitor newspaper in Namuwongo, Kampala./NTV Uganda

He described the military action as evidence of growing authoritarianism in Uganda.

"This is the harsh reality we now face, a country under open military rule, where fear replaces law and force replaces accountability," he said.

The shutdown follows a series of public declarations by Muhoozi on social media in which he announced a long-term ban on the affected media houses from covering President Museveni.

Croatia outmuscle Ghana to take second place in Group L as England beat Panama

PHILADELPHIA, United States 

Croatia saw off Ghana 2-1 on Saturday night at the Philadelphia Stadium to claim the runners-up spot in Group L behind England who overcame Panama 2-0 in New Jersey.

Petar Sucic scored Croatia's opener with a powerful shot from just outside the penalty area into the bottom right hand corner of Benjamin Asare's goal.

The strike, coupled with England's 0-0 scoreline with Panama, took Croatia to the top of the pool.

But it was a brief affair. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored within five minutes of each other mid way through the second half to send England back to the top.

More pressing for Croatia was Derrick Luckassen's equaliser for Ghana in the 76th minute.

The 30-year-old, who was making his international debut, met Ernest Nuamah's in-swinging free-kick and flicked the ball into net past Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

At 1-1, Ghana returned to second place. But that moment was short-lived. 

Nikola Vlasic headed the ball past Asare in the 83rd minute to restore his side's lead and they held on despite Ghana's late barrage to claim the points and second place.

“It was a nice feeling to score,” Luckassen said. “But I’m a bit disappointed about the loss."

The defeat means Ghana, as one of the eight best third-placed teams, will play in Kansas City on 3 July against Colombia who won Group K following a 0-0 draw with Portugal.

Croatia will be Portugal's next opponents on 2 July in Toronto.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) moved into the knockout stages for the first time as one of the best third-placed teams. 

They concluded their Group K campaign with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan to give them four points from their three games.

The DRC will face England on 1 July in Atlanta.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 28/6/2026