Suwon clinch 4th Korean FA Cup title over Seoul
It has been a tough year for fans of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings but it ended on a high note Saturday as the Samsung-owned team lifted the FA Cup thanks to a dramatic win over bitter rivals FC Seoul.
The tie could not have been closer. Suwon won the first game midweek 2-1 to take a slight advantage into Seoul World Cup Stadium. The second game was won by Seoul 2-1 meaning that there was an extra 30 minutes of extra time. There were no more goals which meant that the fate of the trophy was decided by a penalty shootout.
And what a penalty shootout it was. Nine players went from each team and all nine scored meaning that it was the goalkeepers who had to step up. Seoul’s number one Yu Sang-hun missed his kick meaning that Suwon’s goalkeeper Yang Hyun-mo was the man who then stepped up to find the back of the net. The blue-shirted fans packed in the south section celebrated — as well they might. For the four-time champion of the K-League and 2015 runner-up, finishing seventh in league standings would usually be seen as a major disappointment. But given that the team had been struggling for much of the year, seventh came as relief.
It came as a blow for FC Seoul who were looking for a first ever league and cup double. Yet the team can look back with satisfaction at winning the league championship in November.
Suwon did well to recover from events in the game that was made more exciting as both teams were reduced to ten men in the first half. Suwon defender Lee Jung-soo was the first to go after 36 minutes. Seven minutes later, Seoul midfielder Yojiro Takahagi also received his marching orders.
Suwon took the lead ten minutes into the second half thanks to Brazilian striker Jonathon. It put the Bluewings 3-1 ahead on aggregate score but soon after Seoul’s South American star Adriano pulled one back and in the last minute Yoon Seung-won leveled the scoreline ensuring extra-time.
There were no goals and then we entered an epic penalty shootout. “I have never seen a shootout with ten players before,” said Seoul coach Hwang Sun-hong. “It was not a good way to end the season. We will strengthen and come back next year as a better team.”
Suwon was obviously feeling much happier as coach Seo Jung-won explained. “This has been a tough season, the toughest I have had in football but we have learned many things.”
The most important is perhaps that if you keep fighting, you never know what will happen. “We are all very happy with the win. The fans have waited six years to win something and now we have to build on this.” There is more good news for Suwon as the triumph gives the team a ticket to the 2017 Asian Champions League. As the coach said, there will have to be improvements but for a few days at least, Suwon can enjoy the fact that a tough season has ended on a pleasant high.