A rare on-field headline in South Korea: Manchester City’s 3-1 comeback over Atlético

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Around 50,000 fans watched Manchester City beat Atlético Madrid 3-1 in a pre-season exhibition game at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday, offering a rare example of soccer making headlines for on-field action here during a scandal-hit summer.

The big transfer news of the period saw South Korea’s star player Lee Kang-in move from Paris Saint-Germain to Atlético Madrid last month in a deal reportedly worth more than $40 million.

Despite Lee’s second-half introduction, he couldn't prevent Manchester City rallying from a goal down to win. Jorge Dominguez put Madrid ahead just before the break but two goals from Omar Marmoush and one from Rayan Ait-Nouri gave the English club the victory.

The match offered a welcome break from the World Cup fallout, which involved police raids and parliamentary hearings. A leaked government audit recently revealed that Korea Football Association (KFA) officials used corporate credit cards in 2011 and 2012 to pay for services at adult entertainment venues for foreign referees.

“We express our sincere apologies for causing concerns over a range of issues, from a parliamentary hearing and an unprecedented police raid to media reports about incidents from more than a decade ago that even members within the federation were unaware of,” the KFA said in a statement Saturday.

Leading soccer pundit Park Moon-sung was unimpressed with the extent of the apology.

“Are match-fixing and sexual services — things so disgraceful that I do not even want to mention them — something that can be brushed aside by saying, ‘Why bring up events from more than a decade ago that we did not know about?’” Park posted on social media

That was the latest controversy. Anger erupted in June after South Korea’s poor World Cup performance, with the Taeguk Warriors losing two of three games and failing to advance from the group stage in the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

The general reaction was so fierce that police revived a stalled investigation into the appointment of head coach Hong Myung-bo in July 2024. Hong’s appointment had prompted accusations that KFA President Chung Mong-gyu and technical director Lee Lim-saeng failed to follow the organization’s own hiring process.

In July, Hong and Chung, who have both stepped down from their KFA roles, were questioned by lawmakers at the National Assembly about their actions.

A government-backed K-Football Innovation Committee has been established to recommend changes to the governance structure of the national soccer federation. The committee is co-chaired by former Manchester United and South Korea star Park Ji-sung and Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee.

The committee has proposed expanding the electorate for the next KFA presidential election from 300 voters to about 20,000, to include players, coaches, referees and amateur football participants.

While South Korea is currently without a head coach and federation chief, the KFA is hoping to hire a temporary coach ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup which kicks off in Saudi Arabia in January.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City's Omar Marmoush celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Manchester City's Omar Marmoush celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Atletico Madrid's Koke argues with referee Kim Jong-hyeok during the preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Atletico Madrid's Lee Kang-in reacts during the preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hao-Yu Lee drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning with a pinch-hit single and the Detroit Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Sunday in the rubber game of their series.

Spencer Torkelson singled off Sam Hentges (1-4) after Lee's base hit scored automatic runner Riley Greene for a 2-1 lead. Max Clark’s groundout added an insurance run.

Kenley Jansen (3-4) struck out the side in the ninth for the win. Tyler Holton pitched a perfect 10th for his second save as the Tigers finished 7-2 on a three-city trip to the West Coast.

Detroit starter Troy Melton allowed an unearned run on four hits and a walk over six-plus innings, striking out five. The right-hander hasn’t permitted an earned run in his last 20 innings. Melton has given up two runs or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts this season.

Logan Webb yielded one run on four hits and a walk over eight innings for the Giants, throwing 100 pitches.

Willy Adames and Rafael Devers singled to start the fourth against Melton, putting runners at the corners. Osleivis Basabe struck out looking and Adames was thrown out at home by right fielder Zach McKinstry trying to score on Drew Gilbert's flyout, keeping it scoreless.

McKinstry and Kevin McGonigle singled to begin the sixth against Webb to put runners on first and third. McKinstry scored on Gleyber Torres' double-play grounder for a 1-0 lead.

Devers led off the seventh with a single, chasing Melton in favor of Kyle Finnegan. Basabe reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and took an extra base on a throwing error by catcher Eduardo Valencia. Gilbert followed with an infield single to tie it 1-all.

Detroit reliever Drew Sommers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Devers hit into a double play.

The Giants begin a three-game series with the visiting Astros on Monday.

The Tigers host RHP Tannner Bibee (4-11, 3.85 ERA) and the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) watches his single in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Daniel Susac, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Troy Melton throws against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

San Francisco Giants' Willy Adames, left, is tagged out by Detroit Tigers catcher Eduardo Valencia, back right, on a ball hit by Drew Gilbert during the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Detroit Tigers' Hao-Yu Lee, right, hits an RBI single in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Drew Cavanaugh, left, during the 10th inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)