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Lee guides South Korea to Asian Cup win over Bahrain – ARN News Centre
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South Korea passed a physical test from Bahrain to win their Asian Cup Group E opener 3-1 thanks to Lee Kang-in’s second-half double at Doha’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Monday.
With the score at 1-1 after goals from Hwang In-Beom and Bahrain’s Abdullah Al-Hashsash, Paris St Germain’s Lee turned on the style with two lethal strikes that had the South Korean fans at the small 15,000-capacity arena screaming in delight.
A stop-start encounter had plenty of fouls in the first half and although there was no malice in the challenges, South Korea had three players on yellow cards in the first half-hour – including centre-back Kim Min-Jae.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy playing Bahrain, it turned out to be scrappy with a number of yellow cards today,” South Korea coach Juergen Klinsmann told reporters.
“It was a tricky game and had a lot to do with the Chinese referee (Ning Ma) giving too many yellow cards early. That’s why I took off Min-Jae, because if they made a slight foul he’d get sent off.”
The Korean fans had seen enough to start booing the referee whenever he kept his cards in his pocket for a foul from Bahrain and the pressure paid off when Ali Madan went into the book for a tough challenge.
South Korea then took the lead through a quick flowing move down the left wing where the ball was crossed into the box and Hwang curled home through a crowd of Bahrain defenders, two of whom ran into each other while tracking back.
But Bahrain came out fighting in the second half and they were duly rewarded six minutes in when Al-Hashsash found space in the box and slotted home into the bottom corner.
However, South Korea were not deterred and the East Asian side restored their lead five minutes later through Lee, who pulled the trigger from outside the box and saw his superb effort curl into the net.
The PSG playmaker doubled his tally soon after when he received the ball from Hwang, escaped his marker with some quick feet and showed some panache as he curled another shot past goalkeeper Ibrahim Lutfalla inside the far post.
Lee, whose second goal took him joint-top of the tournament’s scoring charts, said Korea’s eyes are on the prize but they are taking things one game at a time.
“Everyone in the locker room and people back home are waiting for this trophy we haven’t won in 64 years,” he said.
“We’re motivated but it’s still too early to talk about winning the championship.”
Son Heung-min had a late opportunity to score when he was released in the box but his shot went wide while the Tottenham Hotspur forward was also booked for simulation later when he attempted to win a penalty.
The Korea skipper had also been fouled heavily twice in the game and took his time to get back to his feet, with the 31-year-old admitting that Bahrain were not easy opponents.
“It was a tough game, as we expected. Bahrain obviously prepared really well and it was tough to break (them down), especially when we went up 1-0,” Son said.
“Obviously we have to do better. But I think the most important thing is that we won the game.”
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Indian chess star Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu produced a brilliant final-round victory to win Norway Chess 2026, capping a dramatic finish to one of the year’s most prestigious tournaments.
Entering the final day half a point behind leader Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew only a win would give him a realistic chance of claiming the title. The 19-year-old delivered under pressure, defeating Vincent Keymer with the white pieces to secure the full three points and surge to first place.
The victory lifted Praggnanandhaa to 18 points, enough to overtake Wesley So and clinch the Norway Chess crown in Oslo.
So, who had led the standings heading into the final round, drew his classical game against Alireza Firouzja before winning the Armageddon tiebreak. However, the extra points were not enough to keep him ahead of the charging Indian grandmaster.
Firouzja completed a strong campaign to finish third overall.
Elsewhere, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen signed off in style with a classical victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, delighting home fans with a final-round win.
Final Standings
- Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – 18 points
- Wesley So – 17 points
- Alireza Firouzja – 15.5 points
Assaubayeva dominates women’s event
In the Norway Chess Women’s tournament, Bibisara Assaubayeva completed a dominant campaign to secure the title after having already wrapped up first place with a round to spare.
The final day featured three decisive classical games, eliminating the need for Armageddon tiebreaks.
Women’s world champion Ju Wenjun handed Assaubayeva her first classical defeat of the tournament, while Zhu Jiner defeated Humpy Koneru to secure second place overall. Anna Muzychuk also ended her campaign on a high note with a victory over Divya Deshmukh to finish third.
Norway Chess women’s final standings
- Bibisara Assaubayeva – 16.5 points
- Zhu Jiner – 16 points
- Anna Muzychuk – 15 points
Praggnanandhaa’s triumph marks another major milestone in the young Indian grandmaster’s rapidly rising career and further strengthens India’s growing influence at the highest level of world chess.
The battle for the Norway Chess 2026 title is set for a thrilling finish after a dramatic Round 9 left three players firmly in contention heading into the final day in Oslo.
Tournament leader Wesley So maintained his narrow advantage after drawing his classical game against Magnus Carlsen before winning the Armageddon tiebreak to secure valuable extra points.
The standout result of the day came from Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, who defeated reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju with the black pieces. The victory earned Praggnanandhaa three points and moved him to within half a point of the tournament lead.
Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja kept his championship hopes alive by overcoming Vincent Keymer in Armageddon after their classical game ended in a draw.
With one round remaining, Wesley So leads the standings on 15.5 points, followed by Praggnanandhaa on 15 points and Firouzja on 14.5 points, setting up a nail-biting conclusion to the tournament.
Assaubayeva seals women’s title
In the women’s competition, Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the Norway Chess Women 2026 title with a round to spare.
Assaubayeva drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk, who later claimed the Armageddon win. However, the result was enough to guarantee Assaubayeva an unassailable lead at the top of the standings.
The only decisive classical result in the women’s event came from Zhu Jiner, who defeated Divya Deshmukh to move into second place.
Elsewhere, Humpy Koneru and Ju Wenjun drew their classical encounter before Ju Wenjun claimed the Armageddon victory.
After Round 9, Assaubayeva tops the women’s standings with 16.5 points, ahead of Zhu Jiner on 13 points and Anna Muzychuk on 12 points.
Praggnanandhaa wins Norway Chess 2026 title after stunning comeback
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