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S. Korea shut out of top Asian football honors for 2nd straight year

November 20, 2015
South Korea’s Kwon Chang-hoon, center, celebrates with his teammates scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup Group G qualification soccer match between Lebanon and South Korea in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

South Korea’s Kwon Chang-hoon, center, celebrates with his teammates scoring his side’s third goal during the World Cup Group G qualification soccer match between Lebanon and South Korea in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — South Korea has been shut out of Asia’s top individual football award for the second straight year.

No South Korean player was among the three finalists for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year honors.

The AFC said two players from the United Arab Emirates, Ahmed Khalil of Al Ahli and Omar Abdulrahman of Al Ain, will battle the 2013 winner from China, Zheng Zhi of Guangzhou Evergrande, for the award.

In 2012, South Korean international Lee Keun-ho won the award, after helping domestic club Ulsan Hyundai to the AFC Champions League title. In 2013, Ha Dae-sung, then of FC Seoul, was nominated for the award.

Saudi Arabian Nasser Al-Shamrani of Al Hilal was the 2014 winner.

The nominees for the Women’s Player of the Year are: Aya Miyama and Rumi Utsugi of Japan and Elise Kellond-Knight of Australia.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place in New Delhi on Nov. 29. The AFC will also recognize the National Team of the Year and the Coach of the Year for both men’s and women’s teams.