Korean K.League Soccer News - June 2005

John Duerden reports from South Korea's K. League

There hasn't been much domestic action lately as Korean football fans have had eyes fixed westwards as the national team clinched a place in Germany 2006 but the first stage of the 2005 K-League season is inching toward the halfway point and boasts a table that still looks slightly strange.

Seongnam 10th, Suwon 11th and Chonbuk bottom wasn't what was predicted just a month ago and the 2003 Champions, 2004 Champions and 2003 FA Cup holders have much to do to get their seasons up and running.

The biggest story is then failure of the title-holders Suwon to emerge victorious from a domestic game this season. 2005 was supposed to be the start of a dynasty in South Korea as the big-spending "Real Suwon" swept all before them. Coach Cha Bum-keun even talked about winning all five of the competitions the team will play this year.

Such a bold statement looked less like bravado and more like reality in April as the club had clinched the tri-nation A3 tournament, The Hauzen Cup and was sitting at the top of Group E in the AFC Champions League.

However, a defeat in southern China at the hands of Shenzhen Jianlibao sent the Koreans crashing out of the continental competition. The result seemed less shocking as the K-League has progressed with Suwon never once taking the lead in the four games so far.

The team, to be fair, has suffered through injuries and suspension. International midfielders Kim Nam-il and Song Chong-guk have been injured along with Kwak Hee-joo, Choi Song-yong, Mato Neretjlak. Goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae has been away with the national team as has Kim Doo-hyun.

The growing injury list makes it surprising that the busy midfielder has been sold to Seongnam Ilhwa for a reported US$2 million. Travelling in the opposite direction to Kim was defender Lee Sabic, the Croatian player formerly known as Jasenko Sabitovic, who took Korean nationality and name.

When the Bluewings have a full team out, they are a formidable opponent but already it seems that the first stage is beyond them, or it certainly will be if they don't defeat the leaders Incheon in mid-week.

Incheon United lost their perfect record at the weekend, drawing at home to Busan I'cons but increased their lead over second place to four points. Jang Woe-ryong has forged a side that has bucketloads of confidence, an impressive feat when one considers that a year ago, the newly created club was bottom of the league.

This season, only the club's second season in existence, was supposed to be one of consolidation and building for the future but the team has a real chance of winning the first stage.

Eastern Europeans Manic Radivoje and Dzenan Radinocic used 2004 to settle in and are starting to put in some good performances on the west coast but it was a Brazilian Selmir, who equalised two minutes from time against a resurgent Busan I'Park.

Busan have enjoyed an excellent 2005 so far, easily qualifying for the last eight of the champions league and going well in the K-League. It would have been even better if Park Seong bae's third goal of the season after 70 minutes wasn't cancelled out.

Busan play host in mid-week to bottom club Chonbuk Hyundai Motors. The Motors were also denied a win by a late equaliser at the weekend. Daejeon Citizen pulled a goal back in injury time to keep Chonbuk firmly rooted to the bottom spot after five games – not where the AFC Champions League 2004 semi-finalists expected to be.

There is still much football to be played however, even in the first stage and one can't shake the feeling that Pohang Steelers or Ulsan Hyundai Horangi could steal the first stage crown from United.

The two teams lie in second and third, four points behind the leaders with a game in hand. Pohang climbed above their inactive rivals with a 1-0 victory over Gwangju.

The Steelers won the first stage last year and were denied the title in a championship play-off final with Suwon. The team has been strengthened since then however with the return of national team striker Lee Dong-guk.

‘The Lion King' completed his military service with Gwangju before heading back to the south-east. He has yet to score for Pohang but did set up the 84th minute winner for Da Silva.

Seongnam, even with the introduction of Kim Doo-hyun needed an 88th minute goal from Park Woo-hyun to claim a point at home to a Chunnam Dragons team that has failed to win since the opening day of the season.

World Cup Ticket Store All Matches - Categories 1-3

K. League Standings June 12th

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	F	A	GD	Points
Incheon United	5	4	1	0	9	4	5	13
Pohang Steelers	4	3	0	1	5	2	3	9
Ulsan Horangi	4	3	0	1	4	2	2	9
Busan I'Park	4	2	2	0	6	4	2	8
Daejeon Citizen	5	1	4	0	5	4	1	7
Bucheon SK	5	2	1	2	3	3	0	7
FC Seoul	5	1	2	2	9	10	-1	5
Chunnam Dragons	5	1	2	2	7	8	-1	5
Gwangju Sangmu	4	1	1	2	8	8	0	4
Seongnam Ilhwa	4	1	1	2	4	5	-1	4
Daegu FC	5	1	1	3	6	10	-4	4
Suwon Bluewings	4	0	3	1	6	7	-1	3
Chonbuk Motors	5	0	2	3	2	6	-4	2