K-League 2014: Recap July 12-13th + Midweek FA Cup Listings

Seoul won their second “Supermatch” derby against the Bluewings while the Top Three, Pohang, Jeonbuk and Jeonnam, all triumphed on the road. In the second tier, Daejeon’s convincing 4-0 win put them 16 points in the clear.

K-League Classic Recap Round 15
I don’t think you can watch the highlights directly here on the site and that you have to go to Youtube to watch them, but so be it I guess.

Saturday, July 12th, 2014

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Choi Yong-Soo’s side won their second supermatch derby of the season against rivals Suwon. In front of a crowd of 46,549 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, captain Kim Jin-Kyu opened the scoring late in the first half with a big fat looping header off a corner kick. After the break, Molina dribbled through a couple of Suwon defenders and beat Jung Sung-Ryong with a left-footed shot… but didn’t beat the goalpost. Despite a pair of Jung saves Suwon never found their goalscoring boots and Cha Du-Ri’s low hard cross to Yun Ju-Tae in the 94′ sealed it.

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“Screw it, we’re not airing this game, we’re going to air some yagu instead” went the Korean broadcasters, national or local, and as a result, I’m going to have to merely recite the goalscorers. Surprise League leading goalscorer Lee Jong Ho scored in the 34′ for the Dragons, followed up by Lee Seung-Hee (his first of the season) in the 76′. Kwon Soon-Hyung, the soldier on loan from Jeju, added one in the 90′ but it was too little too late at the Civic Stadium.

In case there was ever any doubt, I actually really like baseball. (Let’s go Blue Jays! (Oh, and Ryu Hyun-Jin for the Dodgers too!!)) But I mean when you can’t even *stream* a domestic first division game in Korea, not because you can’t by law (3pm kickoffs in the EPL) but just a lack of desire to, it just becomes really really sad.

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The league-leading Steelers didn’t put a foot wrong to defeat Ulsan at the Munsu Stadium. Hwang Sun-Hong (who is one of the early “favorites” to take over the KNT)’s team almost took the lead in added time of the first half when a free kick looked destined for the back of the net – if not for Kim Seung-Gyu’s fantastic save – make that a double save as the rebound landed invitingly for Park Seon-Joo who couldn’t finish. But amends were made in the second half for Pohang – Kim Jae-Sung in the 77′ with a great finish and Kim Seung-Dae’s tap in in the 79′ were enough for Pohang to take all three points.

Sunday, July 13th, 2014

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It’s clear that the Seongnam of years past isn’t really showing the same dominance this season whatsoever. Hovering only a point above the relegation playoff zone, the Ilwha Chunma, rather, the… sparrows? What bird is that?! Whoa, getting carried away. Anyhow Seongnam would have liked a win and started brightly at the Tancheon Sports Complex when a beautifully weighted pass from Jung Seon-Ho met the boot of Kim Dong-Hee to put Seongnam 1-0 up. But Jeju rallied in the first half, the first goal coming from a cracking strike by the Chilean Hugo Droguett. The second goal was all Hwang Il-Soo, earning the turnover, running down the flank and beautifully finishing on a difficult angle to give the Islanders? (I’ve seriously got to stop trying to make nicknames for these teams.) a one-goal advantage heading into the break. Both teams missed penalties in the second and Jeju held their own for a 2-1 victory.

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The worst defence in the K-League Classic this season conceded 4 more goals in a convincing Jeonbuk win. Led by their tactical mastermind Choi Kang-Hee (can you just feel the sarcasm?), Jeonbuk threatened in the first 30 minutes and were eventually rewarded with a quickfire double. First a brilliant Lee Jae-Sung header in the in the 30′, then a Lee Dong-Gook volley just two minutes later for the strikers’ 160th K-League goal. An incisive counter attack put Leonardo’s name on the scoresheet in the 67th, and 10 minutes later it was Lee Sang-Hyup’s turn to score on a crafty header. Gyeongnam ruined the clean sheet with a late goal from Lee Hak-Min.

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At the Asiad, Busan and Incheon shared the spoils in a game that saw the current basement-dwellers Incheon come back from behind twice. Both teams had their fair share of chances in the first half but none were converted. Fagner put the I’Park ahead however in the 51′, only to have that lead erased 15 minutes later by Moon Sang-Yun. Fagner did the honours again in the 79′ but Incheon battled back as Ivo’s free kick bounced right in front of the keeper and in to give Incheon a much-needed point. A frustrating night for the I’Park. Sorry Jae!

Oh, and the highlights are above for every televised game, but beware – crazy biased screaming Korean commentators await you in the I’Park-IUFC game.

K-League Classic Standings

I’m not feeling fancy to make a table or whatnot so we’ll just go with a tweet from none other than me out of shameless self-advertising and laziness. (But don’t hesitate to hit that follow button! Heh.)

K-League Challenge Recap Round 15

Gangwon FC 0-1 Goyang Hi
Suwon City 1-1 Chungju Hummel
Ansan Police 1-0 Gwangju FC
Daejeon Citizen 4-0 Anyang FC
Bucheon 1995 0-1 Daegu FC

Goyang claimed a victory on the road over former K-League Classic dwellers Gangwon in Chuncheon; a late goal from Han Hong-Gyu meant that Suwon City and Chungju would have to share the spoils; the Police team have looked solid since returning from their home game hiatus with a 1-0 win over Gwangju; a splendid hat trick from Adriano meant that me waking up at 6am to watch Daejeon play was worth it; basement dwellers Bucheon thought they had earned a scoreless draw only to have it ripped from their hands in the 90′ as Daegu’s Brazilian striker, Matheus, snatched the 3 points.

I can guarantee that that’s the only English Korean second tier recap you’ll find out there. Another reason why the Tavern is so freakin’ awesome.

K-League Challenge Standings

Reminder: winner gets promoted, 2nd to 4th heads to promotion playoff with the 11th placed team from the top tier. Format: 3rd plays 4th, winner plays 2nd, winner plays 11th place from the K-League Classic. The K-League likes those unorthodox formats. No relegation between the 2nd and 3rd tiers.

Midweek Korean FA Cup Listings
We have 7 games lined up for this Wednesday in the Round of 16 of the Korean FA Cup. The defending champions are the Pohang Steelers.

Oh and yes, just 7 games instead of 8 lined up for this Wednesday because for some inexplicable reason, Daejeon Korail and Yeungnam University played their tie on Friday. The University side prevailed on penalties. If my Hangul doesn’t fail me I read that this is the best result ever for a University side.

So then:

Gangwon FC v Ulsan Mipo Dolphins (3am EDT, 4pm KST) (SPOTV+)
Cheonan City v Sangju Sangmu (6am EDT, 7pm KST) (SPOTV Youtube)
Busan I’Park v Suwon City (6:30am EDT, 7:30pm KST) (KFATV Youtube)
Seongnam FC v Gwangju FC (6:30am EDT, 7:30pm KST) (SPOTV Youtube)
FC Seoul v Pohang Steelers (6:30am EDT, 7:30pm KST) (SPOTV+)
Ulsan Hyundai Tigers v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (6:30am EDT, 7:30pm KST) (KFATV Youtube) **(Is this a “Hyundai derby” or does no one really care? Anyone?)
Gangneung City v Pocheon (7am EDT, 8pm KST) (SPOTV Youtube)

To the KFA’s credit, there is streaming for these games, so if you’re hyped up to watch Gangneung v Pocheon or Gangwon v Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Dolphins, you can! Some of these team names are just awesome. I mean the Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Dolphins Football Club. Earlier in the tournament we had a Jungnang Chorus Mustangs. How can you not like the Chorus Mustangs!?

Anyhow, I’m sort of getting carried away here. Final bit of news: the first member of Park Ji-Sung’s XI to take on the K-League All-Stars later this month has been named. Well, first member other than Three Lung Park himself. Hint: It’s the man that delivered the delicious cross to Park Ji-Sung when he scored against Portugal in 2002. Answer: None other than Lee Young-Pyo! This all-star game should be fun…

On a final final note, a congratulations to Germany for their World Cup win! What a tournament we had and I can’t wait to do it all again in 4 years time in Russia. Oddly enough – there’s a Russian enclave that hosts games that is situated in the middle of Europe! Interesting from a geographic point of view. Okay really getting carried away here. It’s past midnight here in Quebec and a minor like me should not be at a Tavern, virtual or physical, after hours! So Jalgayo!

About Tim Lee 321 Articles
The maple syrup guzzling kimchijjigae craving Korean-Canadian, eh?

16 Comments

  1. ARGHHHH! Youtube posted the playlist instead of the video for each link I pasted up there! NEOMU PIGONHAE! But I mustn’t surrender… technology… love it when it works, hate it when it doesn’t…

    • I think Villa would need to play more than the reported 3 million pounds considering he cost Swansea twice that. But if he’s made it clear he’s not willing to sign an extension than Swansea could take what they can get. It’d also be an unusual move to Ki, as it’s at best a lateral move, and realistically a step down. But who knows? Stranger things have happened.

  2. Seoul was on bringing it. JSR played well and with some confidence and didn’t look leadfooted. Why is he not more alert and active when he’s on the MNT? Still, he must have felt like he was wearing the NT jersey all over again with Suwon’s porous defense. lol. I don’t get how this team is in the middle of the pack on the wrong side of that middle line. Also, it’s increasingly looking like HMB perhaps should have taken Cha to the World Cup. Selection-wise though, I think PJH and CDR would be the only ones I’d have much qualms with. I think HMB got dealt a bad hand, which just compounded his inability to adjust.

      • No matter how good he is domestically if he can’t perform for Korea on the national team, proven after two hideous World Cups minus one game, he shouldn’t wear the KNT shirt.

        Case closed.

        As for Cha, I wanted him to come, but Hong said no surprise selections, which basically meant no Cha in hindsight,

        • While I wasn’t arguing that he should be playing for the KNT, your point doesn’t make any sense. If he is playing well and he’s playing better than everyone else, of course he should get to wear the KNT shirt. What we should really be asking is why he didn’t go through a sports psychologist or something much earlier, since he was clearly having confidence issues several months before the World Cup. I would hope that the point is moot and someone rises to the occasion, but if that’s not the case, you have to go with whomever is the best option and playing the best. Like it or not, that means JSR can and should be a possibility. Unless, of course, people want to hypocritically blast a coach for not taking the most in-form player one moment and then blast that coach for taking a player who is currently playing well and happened to suck in the past.

          • Yeah what I said was dumb and honestly I don’t know why I said it now. You’re right on this one.

            I guess the one thing that annoys me is how he crumbles under pressure.

            But I agree with nearly everything you wrote there and I guess I am partially in a way a sour KNT fan 🙂

          • I didn’t mean to imply what you said was dumb. I was just saying it’s irrational. While I’m tempted to say irrational equates to dumb, I don’t think that’s always the case. I think you are just understandably fed up with JSR being our #1 because of how bad he has looked (though I’d argue he’s just been mediocre and had one terrible game) and the fact that there isn’t really anyone else better. Call it goalkeeper HAN, if you will… To be honest, I can understand your sentiment, lol. Let’s just hope whether it’s JSR or (preferably) a young up and coming GK, a Korean GK surpasses the heights of those we’ve seen already. I know I’ve brought this up in the past, but I think it’s actually sad that Lee Woon Jae is by far the best GK we’ve ever had, because I rated him as thoroughly average. I think it’s also unfortunate that the best striker we’ve ever had played way back in the 70’s and 80’s (ALL HAIL CHA BOOM!) and no one has even come close to his level of (realized) talent. The bright spot though is that I do think Korea will eventually have a golden generation some day not too far in the distant future and will at the very least have a sort of silver generation in the very near future. It’s pure speculation, but I believe it, and I’m not usually a speculator.

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