Fatbear's Sporting Diaries: Watching The K-League

May 8, 9 & 10, 2020

With the K League season starting at the weekend, the first match of the season was available to watch via a number of sources, including the BBC. However, all the other matches in the first round of the K-League could be viewed live on YouTube with the appropriate searches, although the legality of some of these streams is probably dubious. The stream I was half watching the Pohang match on was suspended at half-time, and the stream for Gwangwon vs FC Seoul was suspended twice before resuming to the finish, suggesting the rights owners are trying to protect their assets ? Some streams also annoyingly showed the person who was making comments in the corner of the screen and overall, these streams were best watched with the sound off ! It will be interesting to see if any of these can be seen next week…..

However, highlights for each K1 and K2 match have been added to the K-League’s YouTube channel and links to these are attached below. All K1 and K2 matches could also be viewed via live streaming on Bet365.com.

Additionally, two matches of the first round of the South Korean FA Cup were shown live on YouTube and the South Korean FA have put highlights of these two onto their YouTube Channel, links attached below.

All matches at the weekend were played behind closed doors.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1-0 Suwon Bluewings

With most of the world focusing on the return of football to a so called “major” league, TV rights were signed for coverage of the K-League for 20 countries, whilst the K-League decided to stream the first match on its YouTube channel. Even the BBC decided to stream the match on its website and I-Player so that viewers in the UK would be able to watch on a UK Bank Holiday.

The BBC feed was about 15 seconds later than the K-League feed on YouTube but Simon Hill’s informed commentary for YouTube sounded like he was in the toilet at home. In contrast, despite the absence of any spectators, the crowd songs/chants and drumming being played over the tannoy and the noise from the players and the benches could be heard much more clearly on the BBC feed.

Everyone on the bench was supposed to wear face masks but in the second half the Jeonbuk coach had taken his off, whilst the other coach had his under his chin. I noticed on one substitution the fourth official had his mask under his chin as well. None of the substitutes seemed to be wearing their masks in the second half either.

In a game of very little goalmouth action or excitement played in steady rain, 41 year old Lee Dong Gook ( ex Middlesbrough and 105 International caps for South Korea ) scored a late winner for Jeonbuk with a neat near post header from a corner, and the whole team did a celebration to the empty stands. Gook had come on as a substitute for Brazilian Murilo, who up to then had looked the most creative player on the pitch, so it turned out to be a brilliant piece of judgement by coach Jose Morais !

Earlier, Suwon had Australian midfielder Terry Antonis given a straight red for a nasty foul and the only other point of note was VAR taking about 3 minutes to make its one decision ( no handball ). Somethings never change……

For Suwon, top scorer Adam Taggart disappointed, often showing a heavy first touch and he was eventually substituted. However, Suwon didn’t create anything in the Jeonbuk penalty area for him to work with. At the back, Canadian Doneil Henry impressed throughout although may have been at fault for not marking Gook for the only goal.

Jeonbuk were missing new signing Lars Veldwijk through injury so Cho Kyu Seong, 14 goals for Anyang in Division 2 last year made his debut as the sole striker.

There were over 20,000 watching on the BBC website and just under that on YouTube. It will be interesting to see if the BBC decide to show any more matches from the K-League and/or the K-League show more on their YouTube channel ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikob_8PDeW4

Ulsan Hyundai 4-0 Sangju Sangmu

Ulsan were runners-up last season, losing the title on goal difference, and made a strong start to their challenge for this season with an easy victory over Military side Sangju.

Ulsan took an early lead when Kim Tae Hwan’s pass with the outside of his foot put Brazilian striker Junior Negrao ( ex Germinal Beerschot in Belgium and 19 League goals for Ulsan last season ) through to finish from a tight angle as the keeper came out.

The lead was extend on the stroke off half-time when the lively Kim In Sung was pulled back by Bae Jae Woo ( who is on loan from Ulsan ), and Negrao sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot. HT 2-0

Ulsan extended their lead even further on 51 minutes when Negrao beat the offside trap and unselfishly squared the ball for Lee Sang Heon to finish. The final goal came after 75 minutes with Yoon Bit Garam sending an unstoppable 25 yarder in to the far corner.

Ulsan started with 5 South Korean Internationals in their line-up and included Dutchman Dave Bulthuis ( ex Utrecht, Nurnburg and Heerenveen ) and Australian Jason Davidson ( ex WBA, Huddersfield and Groningen ) in their defence.

Sangju have to build a new side every season with the mix of new recruits and players leaving at the end of their military service so probably need more time for the side to settle. However, in their ranks is Moon Seon Min, who had 14 full caps, and played over 100 times in the Swedish top flight.

The novel crowd features in this game included the letting off of smoke at the start of the second half, and cheering crowds being shown on the scoreboard.

One nice touch is that the Sangju players salute, presumably to the coach, when they are substituted off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRqeXN8B4I0

Incheon United 0-0 Daegu

Another game of very few chances which neither team deserved to win, although Incheon could have snatched a winner in time added on but a poor pass was intercepted. Incheon finished a lowly 10^th last season and already potentially look to be facing another tough season. There were no internationals in their starting line and their two foreigners were Australian journeyman Rashid Mahazi and 25 year old Nigerian Lanre Kehinde, who is already at his twelfth club.

Daegu finished fifth last season and their only international was Lee Jin Hyun ( ex Austria Wien ) who has three caps. They have Edgar and Cesinha, two veteran Brazilians upfront, and Edgar did have two half chances.

The referee wore a very fetching orange shirt though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdBYDAt-vC4

Gwanju 0-2 Seongnam

The K2 Champions made a disappointing start to their campaign, falling 0-2 behind with barely 10 minutes on the clock, veteran Yang Dong Hyun grabbing both goals, the first with a free header from 6 yards and then firing home from 12 yards. Mid-way through the first half Gwanju hit the bar from 6 yards when it looked easier to score and shortly after a 1 on 1 was shot straight at the keeper. After half-time though, Seongnam had several chances to increase their lead whilst the home side rarely threatened.

Gwanju fielded three foreign players, Uzbek centre back Ashurmatov, Brazilian forward Felipe and experienced Costa Rican forward Marco Urena ( ex Brondby, FC Midtjylland and San Jose Earthquakes ).

Seongnam finished in 9^th place last year and have 36 year old ex International Kim Young Kwang in goal, and Uzbek International midfielder Iskanderov. Left wing-back/winger Yu In Soo had an impressive game for the visitors.

Both benches appeared to respect the wearing of masks for the whole game though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_GQLWCf4c

Pohang Steelers 2-0 Busan IPark

Last season’s fourth placed side, Pohang Steelers, recorded a regulation home win against last season’s promotion play-off winners and looked pretty impressive in the process.

Pohang look heavily reliant on their foreign players though with Russian Stanislav Iljutcenko ( ex MSV Duisburg & VFL Osnabruck ) looking a handful upfront, and Serbian playmaker Alexsandr Palocevic controlling the game. Their other foreign player, Colombian Manuel Palacios, looked lively on the right side of midfield.

Busan IPark look to have quite an experienced side with Uzbek centre back Tursanov and two Brazilians, Vintecinco and Romulo. They also have three players South Korean International experience – Yun Suk Young has 13 caps and should be familiar to supporters of QPR, Doncaster Rovers and Charlton, Park Jong Woo has 15 caps and has played in the UAE and Kim Moon Hwan has 11 caps.

Pohang took the lead on 25 minutes when Kim Yong Hwan’s right wing cross was met by Iljutcenko’s smartly headed flick

The lead was extended after Tursanov’s clumsly challenge brought down Iljutcenko and Palocevic sent the penalty into the centre of the goal as the Busan keeper dived to his right.

The instruction of the players not to talk to the referee was clearly ignored near the end when several

Busan players were complaining when a free-kick had been awarded to them just outside the penalty area for handball, although it wasn’t clear what they were complaining about. Perhaps a yellow card to Palocevic ? It was clearly not a penalty………..

There was also a flare up in injury time between 10 or so players which was the proverbial handbags, but demonstrated a lack of social distancing.

Both coaches would pull their masks under their chin when communicating to the players ( another directive being ignored ), and would not always promptly put it back in place. A shot of the Steelers substitutes bench towards the end showed three of four players not wearing masks and happily talking to each other……….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN6ERN3YCPs

Gangwon 3-1 FC Seoul

The most entertaining K-League match of Round 1 and last season’s 6^th place side came from behind to beat the third placed side.

Gangwon have only one overseas player in their roster, and he ( Nakazato from Japan ) was left on the bench. They did have five players in their starting line up who have represented South Korea, although only Han Kook Young with 41 caps had more than 6 caps

FC Seoul included ex Arsenal, Monaco and Watford forward Park Chu Young, and also had 26 cap Ju Se Jong in midfield. The two foreign players in their line up were Uzbek Ikromjon Alibaev and Spaniard Osmar ( ex Racing Santender ) who was booked for a cynical foul and petulantly reacted when fouled himself.

Seoul took the lead after 36 minutes when Park Dong Jin’s deflected shot looped over the keeper. Gangwon equalised shortly after half-time when Hwang Hyun Soo was caught napping, allowing Kim Ji-Hyeon to sneak in to slide in the equalizer.

Seoul thought they had regained the lead on 67 minutes when a 25 yard left footed shoot found the top corner but the effort was disallowed, presumably for offside earlier in the move.

The most controversial moment occurred on 71 minutes ( and strangely is omitted from the official highlights ! ). Gangwon forward Kim Seung Dae ran clear onto a through ball, pushed the ball around the on-rushing keeper outside of the penalty area and went to ground. At first glance it appeared to be a clear foul and red card to the keeper. However, the VAR replay showed the Gangwon player had dived into the air and made contact with the keeper just before hitting the ground. No doubt most of the Premiership pundits would claim “there was contact so it was a foul”, but the replay showed it was a dive, the contact with the keeper did not bring the player down so goal-kick was the decision. A great decision from VAR ! Kim Seung Dae was not booked for diving though.

The decisive moment came in the 85^th minutes with Kim’s cross from the left being met by a delightful back heel on the run from Cho Jae Wan to give Gangwon the lead. From the restart, Seoul lost possession in midfield, and Kim ran clear from his own half, checked inside and shot home from just outside the area inside the far corner. 3-1

Again, the use of face masks by the bench was inconsistent with both coaches and the substitutes shown with either the mask down around the chin, or not worn at all.

Gangwon’s crowd appears to be situated in some nice countryside though and as Gangwon played in a natty orange strip the referee was in traditional black

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKbDJdPGiR8

K2 Highlights

From the highlights the games looked very entertaining. VAR had a prominent role to play in several matches though………..

Jeju United 1-1 Seoul E-Land

VAR denies Seoul E-Land

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYYXgZ0R5U4

Suwon 1-2 Daejeon Hana Citizen

VAR gives Daejeon victory…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVQj-aX9yD8

Chungnam Asan 0-1 Bucheon 1995

Late VAR penalty gives Bucheon victory…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwdMxISYl4I