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Korean K.League Soccer News - April 2004

John Duerden reports on the first month's action

The first phase of the 2004 K-League season is a month old. There are only 12 games played in each of the two stages with the winners from each stage playing-off for the championship. With so few games, a bad start can mean that the phase has ended almost before it has started.

Most teams have played four games, a third of the fixtures for the first stage. The stage finishes so quickly, it's similar to the English Premier League ending in October when Manchester City are top and Spurs fans are still talking about qualifying for Europe. The early pacesetters in Korea are the equally unlikely duo of Pohang Steelers and Daegu FC.

Pohang, the current leaders, backed by steel giants POSCO, won their first three games against Daejeon, Incheon and more impressively, away at Suwon Bluewings before succumbing to a home defeat against the cup holders Chonbuk Motors. The Steelers were comprehensively beaten by the Motors, a team that had impressively won in Bangkok against Thai Champions BEC Tero Sasana 4-0 only 72 hours earlier in the AFC Champions League.

Pohang may be pleased to be in pole position but Deagu FC are definitely delighted to be defying their doubters in second place. In the 2003 season, Deagu's first, the team from Southeast Korea, managed only 36 goals from 44 games, finishing next to bottom. In the first four games this season Deagu's new Brazilian strike force of Nonato and Feijao have scored seven of the team's eleven so far. A couple more thrashings similar to the 5-0 handed out to new boys Incheon United and a few more Deaguites may start going to Korea's biggest football stadium.

Busan sit contentedly in third place, unbeaten after four games. Chris Marsden, the former Southampton skipper scored the team's first goal in Seoul on the opening day of the season. Manager Ian Porterfield must be pleased with the team's progress so far and will be keen to keep the "Bald Beckenbauer", despite speculation that Sheffield Wednesday, the team the midfielder supports, may be interested.

To followers of the K-League and certainly readers of this column's season preview, it come as something of a surprise to see Pohang, Deagu and Busan occupying the top three spots but the real shock is the fact that champions Seongnam, much-fancied Suwon, big-spenders Incheon and dark horses Seoul FC are in the bottom half of the table.

Seongnam, have 4 points from 4, their only victory came against bottom-club Daejeon, courtesy of a dodgy penalty. A devastating 1-0 home defeat to Yokohama in the Champions League has compounded the misery of the team that has won the last three Korean titles. In a normal season, Cha Kyoung-bok's team would have 40 more games to put things right; now they have eight.

The Champions' last game was against rivals Suwon Bluewings and ended 2-2, which helped neither team. The Bluewings are standing at the bottom of the cage, with the perch out of sight. Two draws and a defeat will have disappointed the new coach, the legendary Cha Beum-kun, considered by many to be the greatest ever Asian footballer. The former coach of Korea will point out that Suwon's three games have been against quality opposition but the Asian Champions of 2001 will not be happy with their start as they attempt to put a trophyless 2003 out of their minds- the first such dryí season for six years.

Incheon United have had a mixed start. Before losing heavily to Deagu, the newbies looked pretty solid. A 1-0 victory over Seongnam had the locals excited about a title challenge. However, Alpay and his boys have a lot to do.

As have Seoul FC, who played their first game in the capital in front of 48,000 people, a K-League record. The team, formerly known as Anyang Cheetahs are unbeaten after three games but still haven't won.

There isn't a long way to go in the first phase, however the new format has given the smaller teams a chance of glory. If Deagu or Pohang can keep going for a few more games, the first phase could be theirs for the taking. More likely however, with the favourites floundering in the lower reaches, is that it could be a perfect time for teams like Chonbuk Motors and Chunnam Dragons to book their place in the play-off in an attempt to win their first K-League titles.

Asian Champions League

As mentioned above, Korea's two representatives had mixed fortunes in their quests to reach the last eight. Seongnam Chunma, who were in control of Group G, dominated the game but succumbed to a killer punch to lose 1-0 at home to their Japanese rivals, Yokohama Marinos, putting the two teams level on points with two games to go. Both the Japanese and Korean teams will play Bind Dinh of Vietnam and Indonesia's Persik Kediri. It all depends on who scores the most goals. Korean fans will be hoping that Yokohama's Korean duo of Ahn Jong-hwan and Yoo Sang-chul will not be firing on all cylinders. Yokohama have a superior goal difference of +7 to Seongnam's +3.

Chonbuk Motors have Howard Wilkinkson to thank as Shanghai Shenzua's new boss masterminded a 3-2 defeat against the then leaders, Jubilo Iwata of Japan. Chonbuk's 4-0 victory in Bangkok, courtesy of an Edu second-half hat-trick lifts the Korean team to top of the group, level on points with their Japanese rivals. Chonbuk and Jubilo meet in Japan on May 12th.

K.League Table May 1st 2004

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