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Korean K.League Soccer News - May 2004

John Duerden reports on the latest action

Much was made in England of Leeds United's rapid descent from the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League in April 2001 to relegation from the English Premier League in May 2004. Perhaps from now, the debt-ridden Yorkshire club's demise will be the yardstick by which all other falls will be measured.

In comparison, Seongnam Chunma's woeful start to the 2004 K-League season, well, doesn't compare. Still, four points from the first six games may not yet constitute a crisis but it is startling when considering the fact that Seongnam have won the last three K-League titles. Indeed, only last November, the team from just south of Seoul were crowned champions by a margin of 18 points.

A margin of eleven points now separates Seongnam, lying rock bottom and the surprise leaders, Pohang Steelers. One win in six games tells its own story but it doesn't explain exactly why the best team in Korea over the past three years are faring so badly.

Unsurprisingly a lack of goals seems to be to blame. Coach Cha Kyung-bok may now be rueing his decision not to renew K-League scoring legend Sasa Drakulic's contract at the end of last season. Skilful Kim Dae-ui was sold to Suwon despite the fact that he was the team's Most Valuable Player in 2002. Lee Seong-nam, came the other way, changing his name as he did so from Denis Laktionov, as the former Russian striker became a Korean citizen but has yet to reproduce the form he showed for the Bluewings.

Sasa Drakulic

A number of other less spectacular players from midfield and defence were released to Incheon and Busan, leaving the squad short of quality and experience. Maybe as a result it is no surprise that last season's K-League top scorer, Kim Do-hoon with 28 goals, has so far struggled to find the net.

Despite the poor start and the fact that they have only four points from a quarter of the season's games, Seongnam could still win the league. The first stage is over for the Chunma but after twelve games, the slate is wiped clean and it all starts again.

Elsewhere

The focus on why Seongnam are doing so badly should not distract from impressive starts from Pohang, Ulsan and Seoul. The Steelers are showing no signs of slowing down with five wins from six games. Coach Choi Soon ho knows however that the job is only half done but his team lies three points clear of second-placed Ulsan with a game in hand. Andrezinho, Ze Carlos and Pinheiro, the team's Brazilian trio have contributed two-thirds of the Steelers' nine goals so far.

Special mention should go to FC Seoul, who are unbeaten in their first six games, currently lying fourth. Four draws and only six goals may mean that the team, enjoying their first season in Seoul, are hardly setting the league alight but it is nothing if not a steady start.

Another surprisingly steady, if unentertaining team is SK Bucheon. The club that garnered a total of 21 points from 44 games last season have only lost one game so far in 2004. Unfortunately they have drawn the other five, scoring a measly two goals in their six games. Still, they are currently lying above the team that finished 70 points above them last November.

Bucheon also lie above big-spending new boys, Incheon United, with only one win, against Seongnam, to their name. Conceding fourteen goals hasn't helped with Alpay struggling to adapt to pacy Korean forwards. Former Fenerbache and 1860 Munich coach, Werner Lorant has much work to do to gel his talented team members, such as Choi Tae-wook, into a viable unit.

Asian Champions League

A few days after hitting rock-bottom in the K-League, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma guaranteed its place in the last eight of the Asian Champions League. As the Chunma went into its penultimate game against Indonesia's Persik Kederi, they knew that having played a game less, they were three points and ten goals behind group leaders Yokohama Marinos of Japan.

Cha Kyung-bok deployed a 2-3-5 formation as the Korean champions scored an amazing fifteen goals without reply, the biggest win in the competition's history. A ten goal deficit quickly became a lead of five goals.

A subsequent 3-1 win against Bind Dinh of Vietnam was enough to secure a quarter-final place, despite Yokohama winning 4-1 in Indonesia.

In the AFC Champions League if two teams finish level on points, their head-to-head record decides who progresses but as Yokohama and Seongnam beat each other once each by one-goal margins, goal difference comes into play.

Even more impressive was the fact that Chonbuk Motors, Korea's other representative travelled to Jubilo Iwata and recorded a 4-2 victory over the J-League leaders.

An own goal from Hideto Suzuki as well as strikes from the Brazilian Edu, Park Dong-hyuk and Nam Kung-do cemented the Motors place in the quarter finals of the competition.

K.League Table May 17 2004

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