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SEOUL CLOSING IN ON PORTUGUESE FORWARD
June 13, 2024
FC Seoul are believed to on the brink of signing Portuguese forward Ronaldo Taveres from Liga Portugal side CF Estrela Amadora SAD.
The twenty-six year-old is believed to already be in Seoul ahead of the move, but will have to wait until the summer transfer window opens on June 20th to be officially announced and registered as an FC Seoul player.
194 cm Tavares will bring some much-needed physical presence to the Seoul front-line, but joins the club after a disappointing season in Portugal saw him score only 3 goals in 24 appearances. Tavares has never score more than 10 goals in a single season so far in his career, but will be hoping to hit the ground running in the K-league and help Seoul move up the table.
FC SEOUL VS ULSAN HYUNDAI MATCH PREVIEW
June 13, 2024
FC Seoul will travel to Ulsan this Sunday as they once again try to end their winless streak against the champions, that now stretches to 19 games.
The last time Seoul beat Ulsan was in October of 2017, in a 3-0 victory at Sangam. Seoul haven’t beaten Ulsan away since April of 2016, so it will be a monumental achievement if this struggling side are able to come away with the three points this time around.
Seoul are on a dreadful run of form, having only won twice from their last ten games, with their last victory being their 2-1 away win at Incheon at the start of May. Ulsan currently sit in pole position of the league after 16 games, having beaten rivals Jeonbuk Hyundai 1-0 at home in their last outing. FC Seoul currently occupy 9th in the table following their 2-1 home defeat to Gwangju last time out.
Team news:
It remains unclear whether Kim Ju-sung has returned to training from his lengthy lay-off, but we can expect that he will likely miss this one too. Cho Young-wook is another important player that remains on the sideline.
We are likely to see changes to the side that played so poorly against Gwangju, with Kim Gi-dong surely thinking to freshen things up after a couple of diabolical performances in the weeks prior to the international break.
Predicted score: Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 FC Seoul
SLOPPY SEOUL DOWNED BY GWANGJU
June 2nd, 2024
FC Seoul’s home form woes continued this evening after their defeat to Gwangju means they have now lost their last five games at Sangam. The game started brightly, with both sides getting forward and moving the ball around quickly. Lim Sang-hyub had the first clear-cut chance of the game as he brought down a lovely ball from Lingard inside the box, with his powerful strike glancing off the woodwork before going out of play from an acute angle.
Lingard himself tested the goalkeeper a couple of minutes later from range, before some awful defending from Seoul gifted the visitors the opening goal in the 23rd minute. The backline failed to deal with a sliced effort from the edge of the area, with the resulting ball falling to an unmarked Gwangju attacker inside the area. Baek Jong-beom did well to block his close-range effort, although he could do nothing to prevent the rebound from being tapped in by Lee Kun-hee to make it 1-0 to Gwangju.
Kwon Wan-kyu thought he had leveled the scoring with a bullet header in the 39th minute following a Seoul set-piece; however, the referee deemed him offside and ruled out the goal. Amazingly, Kwon did get his goal on the stroke of half-time with an almost identical header from a corner that he previously had ruled out, making the score 1-1 at the break.
Gwangju came out much the better team in the second half and pushed forward to create chances at every opportunity. Seoul were forced to make a number of last-ditch challenges to prevent the visitors from regaining their league while seemingly lacking in any form of attacking outlet. Kim Gi-dong was shown a yellow card in the 71st minute after seemingly venting his frustration towards the referee, before more poor defending allowed Gwangju to take the lead once again in the 76th.
The Seoul defenders were caught ball-watching in the box as a cross from the right evaded them all before faling to Gwangju sub Beka, who made no mistake with the finish.
Boos rang out around Sangam at the full-time whistle, with a number of fans turning their backs on the players as they approached to thank them for their support. Seoul now has the international break to regroup before they travel to Ulsan on June 16th.
Full-time result: FC Seoul 1-2 Gwangju FC
FC SEOUL VS GWANGJU FC MATCH PREVIEW
May 31, 2024
FC Seoul will be desperate to put their home form woes behind them this weekend as they attempt to rack up their first victory at Sangam since the 5-1 drubbing of Gimcheon back on April 3rd.
Seoul have lost their last four home games since then, and have only managed one win from the five games played in May. Kim Gi-dong must be scratching his head at the best way to get more from his talented group of players after another impotent attacking display against Gimcheon on Tuesday saw the game end goalless.
Gwangju fared slightly better in May, having recorded three wins, three losses and one draw from their seven games in the month. Their most recent game ended in a 1-0 home defeat to Pohang Steelers.
The two sides last met on the opening day of the season, with Gwangju coming out victorious with a 2-0 home win. Seoul have won six of the last ten meetings between the two teams, with Gwangju victorious just twice, while the other two games ended in draws.
FC Seoul currently occupy 8th position in the league with 17 points from 15 games, while Gwangju sit just one spot behind them in 9th with 16 points from the same amount of games.
Team news:
Kim Ju-sung looks close to returning to training after his injury, but is still unlikely to be fit enough for this one. Rebin Sulaka could make a return to the side after a lengthy lay-off, while Kang Seong-jin is likely to be recalled after missing the last two squads with a knock.
Score prediction: FC Seoul 2-0 Gwangju FC
SEOUL FIRE BLANKS IN BORE DRAW WITH GIMCHEON
May 28, 2024
FC Seoul’s winless streak was extended to three games following a scrappy affair away to Gimcheon ended goalless.
Neither side could find the necessary finishing touches in what was an otherwise decent spectacle of football, with chances few and far between throughout. Gimcheon were arguably the brighter side in the opening exchanges, as they attempted to soak up pressure and hit Seoul on the counter-attack, while the visitors managed a couple of half-chances for Jesse Lingard and Han Seung-gyu that were optimistic at best. Lim Sang-hyub went close with his weaker foot on the 17-minute mark, before Gimcheon’s Won Du-jae headed narrowly wide from a cross a few minutes later.
Jesse Lingard unleashed a powerful left-footed effort that hit the side netting just before the break, before Lim Sang-hyub should have done better with a cross from Kang Sang-woo into the box on the stroke of half-time.
Lingard was able to have a run at goal shortly after the kick-off, but decided to go down and appeal for a penalty following the slightest of contact from a Gimcheon defender in the area. The referee took no time in dismissing the penalty claim.
The two sides went back and forth for the majority of the second-half, creating a number of chances that were squandered or well blocked by the respective keepers. The best chance of the game fell to Gimcheon in the closing minutes, with Lee Jung-min’s chipped effort coming back off the bar following a clever save by Baek Jong-beom to keep the scores level.
Seoul will face Gwangju this Sunday as they look to get their first win at home since April 3rd when they beat Gimcheon 5-1 at Sangam.
Full-time result: Gimcheon Sangmu 0-0 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS GIMCHEON SANGMU MATCH PREVIEW
May 27, 2024
FC Seoul will have a quick turnaround this week as they place their second game in four days when they travel to Gimcheon Sangmu on Tuesday evening.
The capital side face a tough task if they are to come away with a victory from the midweek fixture, having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four games, while Gimcheon are currently ten unbeaten. Seoul were, however, the last team to beat Gimcheon when they met back in April, with Seoul recording a 5-1 win at Sangam.
Gimcheon have gone on the rampage since that game, and have yet to lose since that drubbing. The army side currently occupy third position in the league, with FC Seoul lingering in 9th after failing to put together a decent run of form in recent weeks.
Seoul have won five of the last ten meetings between the two teams, while Gimcheon have won just three, with the remaining three having ended in draws.
Team news:
We can expect some rotation for this one since Seoul played only three days prior. We can expect Palocevic, to come back into the starting eleven, while Park Dong-jin could get a run out following some good work off the bench last time out.
Lee Seung-joon has been banned retrospectively following a heavy challenge against Pohang, so will miss out.
Score prediction: Gimcheon Sangmu 2-2 FC Seoul
SEOUL COME FROM BEHIND TWICE TO EARN DRAW AT POHANG
May 25, 2024
FC Seoul were able to twice bounce back from a goal down to claim a respectable draw away at Pohang Steelers on Saturday evening.
Seoul got off to the worst possible start after Lee Tae-seok’s horrific miskick from a cross into the boss saw the ball bounce off his standing leg, before rolling past Baek Jong-beom in goal to gift the opener to the home side after just four minutes of play.
Former Pohang man Stanislav Iljutcenko was able to level the scores just before half-time after some sloppy defending allowed the forward to tap home the ball home after initially seeing his strike blocked.
Seoul were once again their own worst enemies as they conceded a 85th minute penalty after Baek Jong-beom brought down a Pohang forward inside the area, with Lee Ho-jae stepping up to dispatch the spot-kick to make it 2-1 to the home side.
The drama wasn’t done there though, as Park Dong-jin did brilliantly to find Lim Sang-hyeob in the area, with the veteran winger doing brilliantly to slide the ball into the back of the net with the deftest of touches.
The game ended 2-2, which was probably a fair result after what was a thrilling encounter. Seoul head to Gimcheon on Tuesday before heading home to face Gwangju next weekend.
Full-time result: Pohang Steelers 2-2 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS POHANG STEELERS MATCH PREVIEW
May 24, 2024
Kim Gi-dong will return to the Steelyard this Saturday for the first time since his winter move to Seoul as their former-boss looks to take points off the league leaders and get back to winning ways.
Seoul put in a less than impressive performance in their last game at home to Daegu, and will have to be at a much higher level if they are to get anything from this weekend’s game. Seoul’s inconsistency has to be food for thought for the management team, with the side having failed to put together back-to-back wins in the league this year.
Pohang will come into this one full of confidence, with the side currently occupying top spot in the league table despite having failed to win either of their last two games. The ‘Steelers’ have only lost twice so far this season, with their first on the opening day against Ulsan and the second last weekend away to Suwon FC.
The two sides have already met once this season, with Pohang coming away from Sangam with all three points following a 4-2 defeat for FC Seoul back in April. Seoul, do however have a good record against Pohang in recent years, with the aforementioned loss being the only one recorded in the last ten meetings between the clubs. Seoul have won four of those games, while the other five ended in draws.
Team news:
Rebin Sulaka seems to be back to full fitness following a lengthy lay-off, and could be included in the squad that will travel to Pohang. Kim Ju-sung is still not fit enough to train, and will miss out. Jesse Lingard was a surprise inclusion in the starting eleven last time out, and could be once again trusted to lead the line from the outset.
Score prediction: Pohang Steelers 1-1 FC Seoul
DAEGU STUN SEOUL AS HOME SLUMP CONTINUES
May 19, 2024
FC Seoul were brought back down to Earth today following a humbling defeat to fellow strugglers Daegu FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Seoul were unable to put together a prolonged period of pressure until the dying moments of the game, with Daegu looking the more organised side on the day, with star player Cesinha pulling all the strings.
The Brazilian went close to opening the scoring for the away side in the 12th minute with a powerful effort that drifted just wide, while Seoul’s ‘star-man’ Jesse Lingard was on the end of a few heavy challenges early on in what was his first start for the club. Seoul were let off the hook on numerous occasions in the first-half thanks to some awful Daegu finishing and a couple of last ditch challenges in the area.
Seoul’s best chance came in the 34th minute where Daegu keeper Oh Seung-hun did brilliantly to deny a powerful Lee Tae-seok effort from inside the area, with the ball looking destined for the back of the net as soon as it left the full-back’s foot.
The introduction of Willyan at half-time brought some much needed energy, but it would be Daegu that took the lead thanks to an awful error by Seoul full-back Choi Jun. The Seoul defence failed to deal with a long cross from deep, with Choi somehow managing to direct a powerful header towards his own net, in what would have been deemed an excellent goal if it had been scored at the other end. Despite Baek Jong-beom’s best efforts to claw the ball away, it found the back of the net and put the visitors ahead.
Kwon Wan-kyu went agonizingly close with a powerful effort from range in the 68th minute, before yet another defensive blunder allowed Daegu to get their second of the afternoon. Baek Jong-beom’s touch from a Choi Jun backpass was far too heavy, with a Daegu forward quick to pounce on the loose ball before squaring to Yong Hui who made no mistake from yards out.
Baek was lucky to have remained on the pitch just ten minutes later after going wandering off his lien to retrieve a long ball. The goalkeeper clattered into Cesinha head first as he attempted to clear the ball, with the referee being forced to check VAR before eventually handing a relieved a Baek only a yellow card. Cesinha hit the post with the resulting free-kick, leaving Seoul looking lost at sea and without ideas.
Seoul were able to pull one back in stoppage time, with Iljutcenko doing brilliantly to collect the ball with his back to goal inside the area, before turning to slot it home and give Seoul hope. The home side continued to huff and puff until the final whistle, but it was to be too little, too late.
Seoul are now without a home win since April 3rd, and face the daunting task of travelling to in-form Pohang for their next fixture on Saturday.
Full time result: FC Seoul 1-2 Daegu FC
FC SEOUL VS DAEGU FC MATCH PREVIEW
May 17, 2024
FC Seoul return home this weekend to face strugglers Daegu for the second time this season.
Seoul will be hoping to build on their impressive comeback victory over Incheon last weekend, while Daegu could pull themselves out of the relegation zone with a first away win since the opening day of the season. FC Seoul have seemingly begun to find their feet in the league this season after a putting together a couple of decent performances in their last two games. Daegu have also managed to stop the rot, momentarily at least, as they beat Gwangju at home last weekend, the same team that provided their only other victory in round 1.
The last time the two sides met resulted in a goalless bore-draw in Daegu at the beginning of April. Both sides have only managed three wins apiece from their last ten meetings, with the other four having ended in draws. Seoul’s last win over Daegu came in spring of last year, as goals from Palocevic, Na Sang-ho and Hwang Ui-jo saw the home side come out victorious in front of a bumper crowd at Sangam.
Team news:
It is unlikely that there will be too many changes to the side following the impressive display they put in against Incheon. We could see Willyan get a starting berth after his dazzling showing off the bench last week, while Palocevic could also reclaim his spot in the starting eleven after a couple of nice displays off the bench in recent weeks.
Jesse Lingard has returned to training this week but is not expected to be fit enough to be named in the squad.
Score prediction: FC Seoul 2-1 Daegu FC
BAEK FINED FOR ROLE IN INCHEON INCIDENT
May 17, 2024
FC Seoul fans have been left outraged today as the K-league Disciplinary Committee announced that goalkeeper Baek Jong-beom will be forced to pay a fine of 7 million won for ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ in relation to the events that took place immediately after the full-time whistle of the game against Incheon last weekend.
Baek angered the Incheon fans behind the goal by gesturing towards them as the final whistle blew, with the fans responding by launching bottles of water onto the pitch and in the direction of the Seoul players. Incheon have also been fined 20 million won and will be forced to close the stand behind the goal for the next five games as punishment for failing to control their supporters.
A Suhoshin group leader almost immediately set up a crowdfunding account for which Seoul fans could donate to in order to pay off Baek’s fine, with many claiming that punishing celebrations is a slippery slope that will lead to a worse atmosphere around the league as a whole. Over 7 million won was raised within twelve hours of the announcement, with the remaining funds set to go to the junior FC Seoul sides.
INCHEON FANS PELT SEOUL PLAYERS WITH WATER BOTTLES IN UGLY SCENES AT FULL-TIME
May 11, 2024
A brilliant game of football was marred by fan behaviour today, as Incheon fans decided to exact their own brand of retribution on the Seoul players following their 2-1 defeat to the capital side this afternoon.Fans behind the goal in the home end of the stadium became furious at Seoul goalkeeper Baek Jong-beom for his celebrations aimed at them following the final whistle, with Baek claiming that his actions were in response to abuse hurled at him throughout the game, with the shot stopper particularly upset about insults relating to his family.
Bottles of water were then thrown onto the pitch by the Incheon fans in the direction of the Seoul players, with captain Ki Sung-yueng being hit directly in a less than comfortable part of his body. There will no doubt be heavy repercussions for the Incheon fans’ behaviour, with many expecting a that section of the stadium to be closed for a number of games following the disgraceful scenes. The club has already put out a statement apologising for the incident, while a number of fans have condemned their own club's supporters for the embarrassing incident.
SEOUL COME FROM BEHIND TO WIN FIERY ENCOUNTER WITH INCHEON
May 11, 2024
FC Seoul were able to complete a memorable comeback on the road to defeat fierce rivals Incheon United in a feisty contest on a wet afternoon.
The game was hotly contested from the very first whistle, with both sides pushing forward in hunt of an opener with some quick and free-flowing passing. Incheon had the better of the opening exchanges, forcing the Seoul defenders into making a number of last-ditch challenges to keep the scores level.
Incheon opened the scoring in the 37th minute as the Seoul defenders completely switched off, allowing Mugosa to get onto the end of a corner kick completely unmarked to tap the ball past the keeper, making it the score 1-0 to the home side.
Seoul were handed a lifeline just before half-time as Incheon’s Gerso was shown a straight red card for striking Choi Jun in the face after the pair had a coming together off the ball. The man advantage allowed Seoul to come flying out of the traps after the re-start, with Willyan levelling things up just minutes after coming on. The Brazilian was on hand to collect a poorly cleared cross, before slotting the ball past the keeper to put Seoul back in the driving seat.
Willyan didn’t take long to double his tally and put Seoul in front, as his deflected effort wrong-footed the keeper to make it 2-1 to Seoul less than ten minutes later.
Park Dong-jin had a chance to put the game out of sight in the 80th minute after some clever play from the forwards, but saw his shot blocked by a last ditch challenge as Incheon struggled to hold on. The home side did manage to learn a number of decent attacks as the game began to draw to a close, with Baek Jeong-beom being forced into making some excellent saves, as well as being saved by the post on one occasion in the final minutes.
Seoul were able to cling on and secure the valuable three-points in what was an absolute battle of a game in Incheon. The side will return home next weekend to face Daegu at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Full-time result: Incheon United 1-2 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS INCHEON UNITED MATCH PREVIEW
May 10, 2024
FC Seoul will make the short trip to Incheon on Saturday as they look to get their first win over their local rivals since the opening day of last season.
The disdain that the two clubs have for each other has been elevated in recent years for a number of reason, meaning that games between the two sides are always fiery, yet entertaining affairs. Both sides come into the game with just one win from their last five games, with Incheon having fared slightly better however having drawn three and lost once, compared to Seoul four losses. Incheon sit three places above the capital side in 6th on 14 points, with Seoul occupying 9th with 12 points, just a two point difference.
Incheon will come into the game slight favourites for this one, having displayed slightly better form in recent weeks, but Seoul will be looking to get one over on their rivals and get back to winning ways after a disappointing late defeat last time out to Ulsan. Seoul have only managed one win against Incheon from their last ten meetings, with Incheon having won four, while the rest ended in draws. The games between these sides tend to be low scoring affairs, but make no mistake that the intensity will be there from the very first kick of a ball.
Team news:
It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if Kim Gi-dong opted to go with the same team that started against Ulsan after their robust display against the champions. Kim Ju-sung and Rebin Sulaka are still some time away from return, so it is likely that Kwon Wan-kyu and Park Seong-hun will continue to occupy the centre of defence.
Cho Young-wook is also still out with an injury, while Jesse Lingard returned to training this week but is not yet match fit and therefore unlikely to make the squad.
Score prediction: Incheon United 0-1 FC Seoul
ULSAN NICK WIN FOLLOWING VAR CONTROVERSY
May 4th, 2024
FC Seoul once again failed to get one over on Ulsan HD tonight as they were cruelly beaten by a controversial late penalty decision which saw the away side convert and take home all three points.
Seoul started the game with the same line-up that beat Suwon midweek, and came flying out of the traps as they looked to take the game to Ulsan. The youthful backline looked solid from the get-go as they were able to repel the visitors attacking efforts with somewhat ease. Seoul looked to use the counter-attack to their advantage, and were almost rewarded in the 30th minute as Lim Sang-hyub found the back of the net from a Hwang Do-yun. The goal was ruled out for offside, however.
The game grew into a back-and-forth battle, with both sides willing to push forward and have a go at goal with both keepers being called into action on numerous occasions. Ki Sung-yueng forced a good save from Cho Hyun-woo in the 60th minute, before Lee Seung-jun had a couple of efforts blocked by Cho in the following ten minutes.
It looked anyone’s game as the full-time whistle approached, before a seemingly out-of-the-blue stoppage and VAR check from the referee had both sets of fans wondering what was going on. After a prolonged wait, the referee returned to the field to award Ulsan a penalty after an alleged handball in the box by Choi Jun. The Seoul players protested furiously, as it appeared that Choi’s contact with the ball was minimal and unavoidable at best, while the Ulsan players didn’t even appeal for a handball at the time of the incident.
Nevertheless, Martin Adam stepped up to slot home the spot-kick to break Seoul hearts and condemn them to yet another home defeat this season. The fans greeted the players with glee despite the loss, as it was widely recognized that the team had put in a hearty performance against last year’s champions.
Full-time result: FC Seoul 0-1 Ulsan HD
FC SEOUL VS ULSAN HYUNDAI MATCH PREVIEW
May 1, 2024
FC Seoul will once again have a go at taking three points off the champions on Saturday as they look to end an 18-game streak that lasts almost six years against Ulsan HD.
Seoul’s last victory against Ulsan came all the way back in October 2017, with Ulsan having been victorious on 13 occasions since then. Ulsan currently sit second in the table, just one point below leaders Pohang Steelers, but with a game in hand. The visitors will no doubt be hungry to regain top spot by beating Seoul, so the capital side will have to be at their absolute best if they are to get anything from this game.
Seoul’s midweek victory over Suwon FC provided some respite for the players and fans after having gone on a three-game losing streak beforehand, with a number of fringe players getting called up after lacklustre performances from a number of first-team players in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see whether the manager will risk going for the youth again, or if he will go back to the supposed better team on paper for such a big game.
The two sides met three times over the course of last season, with Ulsan winning twice, and the other ending in a draw.
Team news:
As mentioned above, it will be interesting to see how Kim Gi-dong will play this one. The young squad that took on Suwon performed well on the day, but fielding them against a title chasing Ulsan is another kettle of fish all together.
In terms of injuries, it is believed that Rebin Sulaka is close to returning to fitness and could perhaps make the bench for this one. Cho Young-wook remains sidelined with an injury, as does Jesse Lingard.
Baek Jeong-beom’s stellar performance midweek will surely mean that he keeps his place between the sticks for this one.
Score prediction: FC Seoul 0-2 Ulsan HD
A GOAL EACH HALF SEALS THE WIN FOR FC SEOUL
April 30, 2024
Seoul were able to end their losing streak with a comprehensive victory over Suwon FC under the floodlights.
Seoul fielded a much changed side for this one, with a number of second string players getting some game time as Kim Gi-dong looked to freshen things up after a number of poor performances. The changes seemed to pay off as Seoul were able to keep the ball much better than in previous weeks and looked more comfortable at the back with Baek Jeong-beom between the sticks.
Kang Seong-jin almost opened the scoring in the 27th minute after some clever link-up played allowed him to get a shot off inside the area, with the keeper making a smart save to keep it out.
Seoul finally broke the deadlock just before half-time after some excellent play between the two strikers. Park Dong-jin did brilliantly to head a cross back across goal to find Kim Shin-jin unmarked. Kim made no mistake as he nodded the ball past the keeper to put Seoul one-nil up at the break.
Suwon came out with a bit more purpose in the second half, forcing Baek Jeong-beom into a number of quality saves as Seoul battled to maintain their lead.
Seoul got their second via a deflected Ki Sung-yueng strike in the 66th minute after some more excellent link-up play between the forwards. Iljutcenko did brilliantly to hold up a long ball, before Lim Sang-hyub teed up Ki on the edge of the area. Ki’s strike took a heavy deflection before finding the back of the net to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Suwon kept pushing up until the last minute, with Baek being called into action on a number of occasions in the dying moments. Seoul were able to hold on and see the game out, claiming their first victory in five games.
Full-time result: Suwon FC 0-2 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS SUWON FC MATCH PREVIEW
April 29, 2024
There’s no rest for the wicked this week as FC Seoul faces a quick turnaround from their defeat at Daejeon last Saturday as they make the short trip south to take on Suwon FC in what has become something of a must win game for Seoul.
Seoul finds themselves on a three game losing streak in the league and currently sit in 9th position in the table. The team are yet to get a win on the road so far this season and could face the wrath of the fans if they fail to pick up all three points against Suwon on Tuesday night.
Suwon meanwhile are on a three game winning streak and find themselves exceeding expectations as they currently occupy fourth spot in the league after securing an impressive 2-1 away victory over Gwangju last weekend.
FC Seoul have an excellent record against Suwon FC in recent years, having won six out of the last ten games between the sides, drawing three and losing just once.
Team news:
It appears that Rebin Sulaka has been training away from the first team squad so is likely to be injured and unavailable for this one. Cho Young-wook and Kang Sang-woo were both forced off injured in the defeat to Daejeon, so may also sit this one out.
Score prediction: Suwon FC 1-1 FC Seoul
DAEJEON MAUL DIRE SEOUL AS THE ROT CONTINUES
April 27, 2024
FC Seoul were beaten for the third game in a row as Daejeon managed to lift themselves off the bottom of the table with just their second win of the season against the hapless capital side.
Daejeon controlled the ball from the opening moments and were able to stretch the Seoul defence at will. It didn’t take long for the home side to open the scoring via ex-Seoul man Ju Se-jong. Ju’s free-kick from the edge of the area seemed to pass through the hands of stand-in keeper Hwang Seong-min before hitting the back of the net.
Kim Seung-dae made it 2-0 to the home side in the 36th minute after pouncing on a shot that rebounded off the post, with the forward able to prod the ball over the line with the Seoul defenders at sixes and sevens.
Daejeon made it three just two minutes after the restart, with Kim Seung-dae once again able to capitalise on some more defensive sloppiness from Seoul.
Stanislav Iljutcenko was able to pull one back for Seoul with a well taken header in the 59th minute, before later having another ruled out for offside. Seoul were unable to build upon this however, with the home side taking home the three points on what was another difficult afternoon for FC Seoul. The hunt for a win continues on Tuesday night when Seoul visit Suwon FC.
Full time result: Daejeon Citizen 3-1 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS DAEJEON HANA CITIZEN MATCH PREVIEW
April 25, 2024
FC Seoul will be hopeful of getting back to winning ways this weekend as they travel to take on the league’s bottom side Daejeon Citizen.
Seoul are without a win in three in the league, with their last victory coming back at the beginning of the month when they beat Gimcheon Sangmu 5-1 at home. Back-to-back home defeats in their last two against Pohang and Jeonbuk saw Seoul drop to 7th in the table, with just 9 points from 8 games so far.
Manager Kim Gi-dong will no doubt be concerned about the leakiness of the Seoul defence of late, with the side having shipped 7 goals in their last two games. The injury to Kim Ju-sung meant various centre-halves being forced to fill in at the back, but none of them have quite looked up to par as yet.
Daejeon have had a slow start to the season themselves, having only managed one win in the league so far this season while currently occupying bottom place in the league table. Last season’s surprise package have found goals hard to come by this time around, and have been defeated on four occasions since the start of the campaign. Last weekend’s game with Daegu saw them play out a goalless draw on the road.
FC Seoul have failed to beat Daejeon since their return to the top flight, with Daejeon winning two of the four meetings between the sides last season, while the others ended in draws. Seoul’s last league victory against Daejeon came way back in 2015 in a 2-0 win via goals from Osmar and Yun Ju-tae.
Team news:
It remains unclear whether Kim Ju-sung will be fit enough to travel for this one, so we can expect Hwang Hyun-soo to deputise once again if that turns out to be the case. Choi Chul-won is likely to keep his place between the sticks despite his horror-show of a performance last time out, with Baek Jeong-beom still away with youth international duty.
Score prediction: Daejeon Citizen 1-2 FC Seoul
JEONBUK COMEBACK STUNS SEOUL
April 20, 2024
FC Seoul’s dismal run of form against Jeonbuk continued today, as the visitors were able to come from behind to score a late winner in what was a thrilling encounter on a wet day in Seoul.
Both sides looked to attack from the outset, with the game played in a very high intensity from the first whistle. Jeonbuk didn’t take long to draw first blood, however, as yet another howler from goalkeeper Choi Chul-won gifted the visitors their opening goal. Choi hesitated one too many times when receiving the ball at his feet inside the area, with Jeonbuk’s Song Min-kyu quick to bear down on goal and slide tackle the ball into the back of the net, much to the disbelief of the Seoul fans and indeed players.
Former Jeonbuk man Stanislav Iljtcenko got Seoul back into the game just five minutes later with a brilliant header from a Ki Sung-yueng corner to make it 1-1.
Seoul then managed to take the lead in the 30th minute following some brilliant play down the right from Choi Jun and Cho Young-wook. Choi did brilliantly to acrobatically keep the ball in on the touchline, releasing Cho who picked out Aleksandar Palocevic with a low cross into the area. Palo was able to get the slightest of touches onto the ball, converting past the Jeonbuk keeper to give Seoul aspirations of a comeback victory.
This was to be short-lived, however, as Lee Young-jae drew the sides level less than ten minutes later as his low strike once again caught Choi Chul-won flat-footed, firing inside the near post to make it 2-2 at the break.
Jeonbuk didn’t waste much time after the interval and once again took the lead within five minutes via a wonder goal from Jeon Byung-kwan. The winger did brilliantly to take Kim Jin-su’s cross from deep on the volley with a spectacular bicycle kick to blast the ball past Choi Chul-won, sending the away supporters into raptures.
Seoul kept pushing to find an equaliser, but were ultimately came up short, with Iljutcenko coming closest with another header that was unfortunately ruled out for offside. The Seoul fans turned their backs on the players as they approached the N-block after the game, letting them know exactly how it feels to be without a win in 23 games against Jeonbuk in all competitions. Seoul desperately needs to get back to winning ways when they face Daejeon on the road next Saturday.
Full time result: FC Seoul 2-3 Jeonbuk Hyundai
SEOUL SLIP PAST E-LAND TO PROGRESS IN KOREA CUP
April 17, 2024
FC Seoul were able to progress in the Korean Cup following a close game that saw their second-string narrowly overcome Seoul E-Land at Mokdong this evening.
The game was a fairly evenly matched encounter throughout most of the first half, with E-Land producing most of the chances while FC Seoul were mainly forced to play on the counterattack.
Seoul finally broke the deadlock via a well taken header from centre-half Hwang Hyun-soo in the 63rd minute following a corner.
E-Land pushed forward in search of an equaliser but ultimately fell short as Kim Gi-dong called upon his more experienced players to come in off the bench to steady things up and make sure the visitors came away with the win.
Seoul will now face Gangwon FC in the next round at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Full time result: Seoul E-Land 0-1 FC Seoul
SEOUL SACRIFICE LEAD TO LOSE OUT TO POHANG
April 13, 2024
Seoul saw all their hard-work undone today, as they came from a goal down to being in a winning position, before blowing their lead to lose to league leaders Pohang Steelers.
The game started brightly, with both sets of players passing the ball around well and attacking en masse. Pohang didn’t take long to move in front, however, as Heo Yong-jun was on hand to blast a knock down from a corner into the back of the net in the 15th minute of play, making it 0-1.
Seoul huffed and puffed up until first half stoppage time, and were rewarded with a goal as youngster Son Seung-beom tapped in a rebound after Kwon Wan-kyu’s header came back off the post, his first for the club.
Seoul went ahead in the 65th minute as Willyan was on hand to pounce on a defensive error and prod the ball over the line to make it 2-1 to the home side. The Brazilian had a chance to put the game out of sight just two minutes later as he was left completely unmarked inside the area. Cho Young-wook’s low cross evaded everyone in the box, before falling to Willyan with what seemed like a simple tap-in. The winger seemingly took his eye off the ball, as he knocked the ball wide of the post when it seemed easier to score.
This moment may have been pivotal to the sway of the match, as Pohang began to press in search of an equaliser. It didn’t take long to come, as Lee Ho-jae was on hand to put the finishing touches onto a brilliant Pohang counter to level the scores with 15 minutes to play.
The visitors then re-gained their lead just five minutes later via a brilliant back heeled volley from Park Chan-yong. Seoul rallied forward in search of an equaliser, but were ultimately put to the sword as Jeong Jae-hee put the game out of the side deep into stoppage time as he beat Choi Chul-won at the near post with a powerful strike.
It was a sad way for Seoul to end such an entertaining game, especially considering the day was touted as a celebration of Go Yo-han’s career following his retirement. Seoul will face Jeonbuk next weekend as they look to get back to winning ways.
Full time result: FC Seoul 2-4 Pohang Steelers
FC SEOUL VS POHANG STEELERS MATCH PREVIEW
April 12, 2024
FC Seoul will return home this weekend when they take on Pohang Steelers at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The game will be something of a special occasion as the club will honour FC Seoul legend and one-club-man Go Yo-han, who retired in January.
Seoul will have to be at their best if they are to send Go off in style, however, with Pohang currently on a hot streak of form and sitting at the top of the table after an excellent start to the season. Pohang have been unbeaten since losing to Ulsan on the opening day, and most recently saw off Daejeon on their last venture out.
To add some extra intrigue, it will also be the first time that Seoul boss Kim Gi-dong will face his old-club since his move in the winter, with the Seoul playing squad also boasting numerous ex-Pohang players. Seoul fans will be hoping that Kim can provide some extra inside into how his old side will set up on Saturday, with the boss surely desperate to get one over on them to get back to winning ways.
The results have been fairly even between the two sides in recent years, with five of the last ten meetings between the clubs ending in draws. Seoul have only between defeated once in that time, however, having won four and lost one.
Team news:
Seoul will still be without the youngsters that are away with the junior national team, and will be until at least May. Jesse Lingard is believed to have returned to light training, but is still unlikely to fit enough to make the starting eleven. Kim Ju-sung took a heavy blow last time out at Daegu, but is expected to be fit enough to start this one.
Score prediction: FC Seoul 1-1 Pohang Steelers
SEOUL SEE ONE RULED OUT IN GOALLESS DRAW WITH DAEGU
April 7, 2024
Seoul were unable to build upon their midweek thumping of Gimcheon, as they failed to score against a Daegu side that hadn’t kept a clean sheet up until that point.
The play from both sides was cagey at the best times, with neither really providing much for the fans to write home about in the first half. A number of players ended up receiving knocks throughout the first 45 minutes, with Cesinha being forced off for Daegu, while both Edgar and Kim Ju-sung required lengthy treatment following head clashes. Daegu had probably the best chance of the half deep into injury time as a scramble inside the box almost led to a free header for Edgar, although Seoul eventually cleared the ball to safety.
A slip from Ki Sung-yueng inside his own half almost led to a goal, as a Daegu attacker was able to collect the ball and bore down on goal. Luckily, Choi Jun was on hand to make a last-ditch challenge to put the ball out for a corner instead.
Cho Young-wook thought he had broken the deadlock in the 64th minute via a brilliant strike just inside the box from an acute angle, but the VAR referee had other ideas. The goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up, meaning the score remained 0-0.
With neither side able to find a breakthrough, the game ended 0-0. This was probably a fair result, as the attacking efforts by both sets of players just weren't quite up to scratch on the day.
Full-time result: Daegu FC 0-0 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS DAEGU MATCH PREVIEW
April 5, 2024
FC Seoul will make the trip to Gyeongsang-do this Sunday as they look to take home three points from a Daegu side who have struggled to find their feet so far this season.
Seoul were in fine form midweek as they swept Gimcheon away in a comprehensive 5-1 victory at Sangam, and will no doubt be looking to replicate such a performance for this one. Daegu meanwhile will be licking their wounds following a 3-0 away thrashing at the hands of Gangwon on Wednesday, leaving them second bottom in the table and in desperate need of points.
The home side have managed just one win so far this season, a 2-1 away win against Gwangju on the last day of March. Seoul have fared slightly better, picking up two wins and two draws after losing to Gwangju on the first day of the season.
The last five meetings between the two sides in all competitions has been fairly even, with both picking up two wins a piece, with their most recent tie ending in a draw.
Team news:
Seoul will be without a number of their young squad members who have been selected for the U23 Olympic squad. These include Baek Jeong-beom, Lee Tae-seok, Baek Sang-hoon and Kang Seong-jin.
It is still unclear whether Jesse Lingard will be fit enough to make the match day squad for this one, having missed out on the last two following knee discomfort.
Kim Gi-dong will likely want to stick to a similar starting line-up that played so impressively against Gimcheon, so we can expect minimal changes.
Score prediction: Daegu FC 1-3 FC Seoul
SEOUL STEAMROLL GIMCHEON TO CLIMB INTO FOURTH
April 4, 2024
Seoul bounced back from their disappointing performance at Gangwon as they ran riot over Gimcheon Sangmu at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday night.
Cho Young-wook opened the scoring from the edge of the area in the 16th minute, after Iljutcenko had done well to initially hold the ball up inside the area. Iljutcenko turned from provider to scorer fifteen minutes later, as some clever link-up play between Palocevic and Lim Sang-hyub led to the latter finding the forward unmarked in the area, laying on an easy tap-in.
Iljutcenko got his second just five minutes later after some more clever play from Lim Sang-hyub down the left, with the winger laying on another clever cross for the German to prod home. Seoul made it four on the stroke of halftime when the aforementioned duo reversed their roles, with Iljutcenko setting up Lim Sang-hyub to score his first goal of the season with a flukey effort from the edge of the area.
Gimcheon were able to hit back briefly after the break, as Kim Min-jun scored an absolute worldie from 30-yards out to give Gimcheon perhaps a glimmer of hope in the 52nd minute. Those hopes would be dashed in the 80th minute, however, with Park Dong-jin doing well to slot home from the edge of the area after a smart counter-attack from the side, making the score 5-1.
It was a truly brilliant performance from the home side, as they looked to have finally found their rhythm going forward and some cohesiveness at the back. Seoul will travel to Daegu this Sunday for Round 6.
Full time result: FC Seoul 5-1 Gimcheon Sangmu
FC SEOUL VS GIMCHEON SANGMU FC MATCH PREVIEW
April 2, 2024
Seoul will look to get back to winning ways as they take on Gimcheon Sangmu in this week’s midweek fixture at Sangam.
Seoul looked sluggish as they conceded a one-nil lead late on away at Gangwon last Sunday, with the side producing very little going forward despite an almost full strength line-up. Gimcheon are flying high after four games, finding themselves in second in the table after two consecutive victories. They secured an impressive 4-1 away win over Suwon FC last week, as well as putting Jeonbuk to the sword in a 1-0 victory the week before.
Both sides have won two each from the last six meetings between the sides, with the other two ending in draws. The last game between them ended in a 1-1 draw at Sangam back in October of 2023.
Team news:
Jesse Lingard is expected to miss out once again after having some discomfort in his knee following the international break. Rebin Sulaka received a straight red card late on away at Gangwon so will sit this one out too.
Seoul will be forced to field A different look back line for this one, with Kwon Wan-kyu expected to slot in.
Predicted score: FC Seoul 1-1 Gimcheon Sangmu
SEOUL SLUGGISH IN AWAY DRAW WITH GANGWON
March 31, 2024
FC Seoul ended up being lucky to come away with a point after initially going one-up on the road at Gangwon on Sunday.
The capital side produced very little in the first half as they struggled to find any rhythm in their build-up play. Gangwon were much the better side, as they tested goalkeeper Choi Chul-won on a couple of occasions after easily slipping through the Seoul midfield, while the defence looked non-existent also.
The manager decided to make a few changes after the break, replacing Aleksandar Palocevic and Stanislav Iljutcenko with Han Seung-gyu, before bringing on Willyan for Lee Tae-seok in what turned out to be a vital change. The Brazilian, who was making his first appearance of the season, took less than ten minutes to open the scoring for the visitors, as he did brilliantly to get his head to a cross into the box from Cho Young-wook. The winger made no mistake as he rose highest to nod the ball past the keeper.
The joy was short-lived however, as Lee Sang-heon pulled one back for Gangwon with just four minutes left on the clock following some sloppy defending from Seoul. The home side were reduced to ten men just two minutes later, as Lee Ji-sol was shown a second yellow card and given his marching orders in the 88th minute.
Seoul weren’t to be outdone in this area either, with Rebin Sulaka being shown a straight red after rugby tackling his man after his poor touch on the half-way line allowed Vitor Gabriel to pounce on the ball, nicking it away from the Iraqi. Sulaka was left with no choice but to bring him down despite being the last man, as Gabriel would have been odds-on to score the winner if he had been able to maneuver past the center back.
Seoul fans breathed a sigh of relief as the final whistle blew, after yet another lackluster performance from the side against a weaker opposition on paper.
Full time result: Gangwon FC 1-1 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS GANGWON FC MATCH PREVIEW
March 28, 2024
FC Seoul will return to action this weekend following the international break as they travel to Chuncheon to take on Gangwon FC in Round 4 of K-league 1.
Seoul come into the game off the back of their first win of the season, a comfortable 2-0 victory over Jeju United at Sangam. They will be looking to get their first win on the road against a Gangwon side that have yet to muster a win from their opening three fixtures. The home side has also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five games, while Seoul have been unbeaten by Gangwon in their previous three meetings. Seoul hasn’t won away at Gangwon since October 2021, a stat that they will be hoping to break this weekend.
Team news:
Youngsters Baek Jeong-beom, Kang Seong-jin, Baek Sang-hoon and Lee Tae-seok have all been away with the junior international teams this week, so are likely to miss out on this weekend’s match-day squad. It remains to be seen if Jesse Lingard will be handed his first start of the season on Sunday, although it seems fairly unlikely following Kim Gi-dong’s recent comments on the winger’s work rate.
Predicted score: Gangwon FC 1-2 FC Seoul
KIM GI-DONG LOOKING FOR MORE FROM LINGARD
March 18, 2024
FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong’s comments following the side’s 2-0 home victory over Jeju United on Saturday have made headlines both domestically and overseas after he suggested that Jesse Lingard had not been pulling his weight.
Lingard came on in the second half for his third appearance off the bench in as many games, but Kim was left less than impressed by what he saw. The boss said that he considered taking him off again despite bringing him on deep into the second half, claiming “he (Lingard) didn’t work hard and avoided tussle.” He also went to say that the ex-England international must worker harder and that his “name value has no meaning on the pitch”.
This is not the first time that Lingard has been singled out for such criticism, with fans of both Manchester United and Nottingham Forest claiming that the winger lacked focus and wasn’t dedicated enough to deserve his astronomical wages.
Despite claiming back in February that he is ready to fully commit to his football and make it his main focus once again, Lingard has already hit the gossip sections of the Korea media. The 31-year-old was caught sliding into the DM’s of a semi-famous Korean influencer in recent weeks, as well as posting emojis onto pictures of the FC Seoul cheerleaders’ personal profiles. He has also continued to have a presence in the social media world, posting videos of himself teaching UK slang to his younger teammates, as well as asking viewers to rank their outfits as they leave training.
Lingard was said to have departed for England following the victory over Jeju as he enjoys a two-week break from games due to international fixtures. He will no doubt have Kim Gi-dong’s remarks ringing in his ears during his downtime, so we will have to wait and see if he can muster a decent response on the pitch in the coming games.
SEOUL GRAB FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON IN CLASSY DISPLAY AGAINST JEJU
March 17, 2024
FC Seoul managed to bag their first three points of the season as they overcame Jeju United 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Stanislav Iljutcenko and Ki Sung-yueng.
Kim Gi-dong opted for a much more conventional looking line-up, with each player playing in their natural position. This seemed to pay-off early on, as the side moved the ball around with fluidity and purpose. This led to Kim Ju-sung being brought down inside the penalty area in the 15th minute, with the referee pointing to the spot after a lengthy VAR consultation. Stanislav Iljutcenko stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way, and put Seoul into an early lead.
It didn’t the home side long to double their tally, this time via a wonder goal from captain Ki Sung-yueng. Choi Jun’s brilliant work down the right saw a cross collected by Cho Young-wook inside the area, before being scrambled back to Ki on the edge of the area. The midfielder took one touch to steady himself before blasting a thunderbolt of a strike into the top corner to spark wild celebrations from the both the players and the fans.
There was a bit of needle added to the game just before the half-time whistle as a number of Jeju players were booked for heavy challenges in their frustration. There were a total of seven yellow cards brandished between the two sides in the first half alone.
Jeju pushed up a little higher in the second half as they went on the hunt for a goal to get themselves back into the game. The Seoul defence stood firm, with Rebin Sulaka looking solid and commanding at the back on his debut. Seoul also did their best to push for a third to kill the game off, bringing on Jesse Lingard, Aleksandar Palocevic and Park Dong-jin in short succession.
It seemed as though Lingard was about to seal his first goal for the club in the 86th minute as he was released just inside the Jeju half with only the keeper to beat, but the Englishman’s touch was far too heavy, allowing the Jeju keeper to clean up comfortably.
The away side saw any chance of a comeback dashed in the 90th minute as Lim Chae-min was dismissed via second-yellow for cynically pulling down Lee Tae-seok in the Seoul penalty area.
The final whistle blew shortly after, but not before further bookings saw the referee take the names of Jesse Lingard and Kim Ju-sung, bringing the total number of cards shown to twelve in what was an entertaining game of football at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Full-time result: FC Seoul 2-0 Jeju United
FC SEOUL VS JEJU UNITED MATCH PREVIEW
January 13, 2023
FC Seoul will continue their hunt for a first win of the 2024 season this Saturday as they take on Jeju United at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
We have yet to see any form of positive performance from the new-look side, having lost one and drawn one in their first two games. Manager Kim Gi-dong has been so far unable to find the formula to get the team playing in the way which he wants, with Seoul yet to find the back of the net and looking far from doing so as yet. Seoul currently occupies 11th in the table, with last week’s draw putting them one point above a Daegu side that has failed to register a point.
Jeju currently occupy 3rd in the table after a managing a draw and a win from their first two, with an impressive 3-1 victory over Daejeon last weekend putting them in good stead. Defeating the islanders will not be a straight forward task for the home side, whom will have to be at their best if they are to get anything from the game.
Seoul have managed just three wins from their last ten meetings with Jeju, while the islanders have won four. The rest have ended in draws, most recently a 0-0 in Seogwipo back in November of last year.
Team news:
Kim Ju-sung seemed to take quite a heavy knock towards the end of the game with Incheon, and could potentially sit this one out. Rebin Sulaka could be in line to deputise if this turns out to be the case. We might see Jesse Lingard getting his first start of the season after a getting a decent 60 minutes under his belt last time out.
Predicted score: FC Seoul 1-1 Jeju United
SEOUL CONTINUE TO FIRE BLANKS IN GOALLESS DRAW WITH INCHEON
March 10, 2024
FC Seoul put on another limp display as they were unable to find the net for the second game running in their opening home game of the season against Incheon on Sunday.
The stadium was packed out with expectant fans hoping to get a glimpse of Jesse Lingard with an official attendance of 51,670, the fourth highest in FC Seoul history at Sangam.
The game, however, failed to live up to expectations. Neither side were able to do much with the ball in the opening moments, with very little action to report on. The highlight of the first half was probably the surprise introduction of Jesse Lingard on just the half-hour mark, with the Englishman replacing debutant Takuya Shigehiro to make his home debut.
Lingard had an immediate impact as he thread a clever through ball into Kang Sang-woo’s path inside the box, although the keeper did well to deflect the ball away.
The second half saw much of the same from both sides, with neither being able to create any clear cut chances. Lingard was regularly making clever runs into the box to no avail, and cut a frustrated figure at his teammates lack of awareness to his movements.
The fans started to become restless as the game entered the final ten minutes, with Ki Sung-yueng dragging a shot well wide from the edge of the area in what was one just four shots that Seoul had all game, zero of which were on target.
Lingard shows signs of ‘ring-rust’ as he sent an effort way over the bar after being found unmarked inside the area in the 82nd minute, being Incheon’s Gerso forced a decent save from Choi Chul-won just a few minutes later.
The game ended goalless, in what was an anticlimactic afternoon at Seoul World Cup Stadium. It will be interesting to see how many of the 51,000+ fans return next week after such poor showing, while manager Kim Gi-dong must be scratching his head at how to get the best out of this group players.
Full time result: FC Seoul 0-0 Incheon United
FC SEOUL VS INCHEON UNITED MATCH PREVIEW
March 8, 2024
FC Seoul will take on local rivals Incheon United in their first home game of the season this Sunday, with a bumper crowd of over 40,000 expected at the World Cup Stadium.
Both sides got off to a less than satisfactory start to the 2024 season with a loss apiece. Seoul were woeful all over the park and were well beaten by Gwangju on the road, while Incheon succumbed to a very late penalty at home to Suwon FC on the opening day.
We can expect to see changes to both sets of teams after poor showings from the starting elevens last weekend, and with such a large crowd expected the atmosphere is likely to be electric. Meetings between these two sides have been notoriously tasty in recent years, with no less than five red cards being brandished within the last eleven games between them.
This fixture tends to be a low-scoring affair if we are going to go on meetings between the clubs in recent years with three of the last ten games ending 1-1, while the other draw was goalless. Incheon has been victorious in four of those ten, while Seoul has only won twice.
Team news:
I would be surprised to see Choi Chul-won selected in goal for this one after his howler last week. We are also likely to see Park Dong-jin move to the bench after being played at left-back at Gwangju, with potential for new signing Kang Sang-woo to make his debut or Lee Tae-seok get another chance to reclaim his place.
Kim Shin-jin surely has to sit this one out after an appalling performance up-top last week, with Iljutcenko hopeful to step in after looking bright when he came on last time out. The man behind the expected inflated attendance, Jesse Lingard, is in line to make his home debut against Incheon, albeit most likely off the bench once again.
Predicted score: FC Seoul 1-1 Incheon United
EX-POHANG WINGER KANG SANG-WOO SEALS SEOUL MOVE
March 6, 2024
Seoul’s raid on Pohang fan favourites has continued today as wing-back Kang Sang-woo has signed a permanent deal with the club, transferring from Chinese side Beijing Guoan.
Kang made 180 appearances for Pohang Steelers before joining Beijing in 2022, making 59 appearances and scoring 13 goals in the process.
Kang will reunite with a number of old teammates from his Pohang days including Aleksandar Palocevic, Stanislav Iljutcenko, Lim Sang-hyub as well as head coach Kim Gi-dong. He will wear the number 15 shirt for the 2024 season.
GWANGJU DISMANTLE SEOUL WITH EASE ON OPENING DAY
March 2, 2024
Seoul got their 2024 season off to a disastrous start as they were completely outplayed by a ruthless Gwangju side on the opening day of the season.
The home side controlled the ball from start to finish, creating a number of chances as the Seoul midfield and defence looked completely void of ideas. It didn’t take Gwangju long to break the Seoul resolve as they opened the scoring in the 21st minute via a Lee Hee-kyun strike from the edge of the area. Seoul keeper Choi Chul-won probably should have done better to keep the ball out, letting the ball get past him despite getting a hand to the strike.
Gwangju kept pushing forwad and looked desinted to score a second, with Choi being called into action on a number of occasions to keep the score down.
Seoul showed a slight improvement in the second half, but were ultimately unable to cause the Gwangju defence any real issues. Ki Sung-yueng sent one wide from the edge of the area, before Iljutcenko’s headed effort from a Jesse Lingard cross was well saved by the keeper.
Gwangju put the game beyond doubt in the last minute of injury time as Brazilian debutant Gabriel Tigrao found himself completely unmarked from a corner to tap the ball home from close range.
It was one of the worst Seoul performances in recent memory, with Kim Gi-dong getting his team selection and tactics completely wrong in his first game in charge.
Full time result: Gwangju FC 2-0 FC Seoul
FC SEOUL VS GWANGJU FC MATCH PREVIEW
March 1, 2024
FC Seoul head south to Gwangju this weekend and will look to kick-start their season with a win on the opening day. The capital side have been busy over the winter transfer window as they attempted to soften the blow of losing some key first team figures, and it has been widely accepted that they have been successful in this task.
Further to the player arrivals saw a change of management at the club, with Kim Gi-dong coming in from Pohang. The well versed head coach has had the whole winter to get to grips with his new players and implement his own tactical ideas on the squad, so we will find out in this game how the new boss will look to set up his side this season.
It is always difficult to predict how a new manager will use the new set of players at his disposal, but I think it’s safe to assume that Kim will set up the team to press from the front and be more efficient in possession.
Gwangju will be no pushover however, having had a brilliant season in 2023 for a club of their stature and budget to finish 3rd in the league, thus qualifying for continental football. They have a decent squad with some excellent young players, as well as a coach who likes to play attacking football. The loss of midfielder Lee Soon-min to Daejeon last month will certainly hurt the side, but they will still pose a threat to the bigger clubs in the league regardless.
Team news:
Again, it is always tricky to predict how a team will line-up on the opening day of the season, especially with a new coach in charge of the side. Having made Cho Young-wook vice-captain following his return from Gimcheon, I think it would be safe to assume that he will be the first choice striker this season and will likely start this one. At the back we are likely to see Kwon Wan-kyu paired with Kim Ju-sung, as new arrival Rebin Sulaka will need time to get up to full fitness. Choi Jun could be in line for his debut at right-back, while Baek Jeong-beom is likely to be selected to start between the sticks.
While the whole league is excited to see Jesse Lingard line-up for Seoul this year, he is unlikely to be in the squad for this one due to lack of match fitness. Kim Gi-dong hinted last week that Lingard still needed more time to get up to scratch, although you can never count out a surprise inclusion in the squad.
Score prediction: Gwangju 1-2 FC Seoul
SEOUL COMPLETE SIGNING OF JAPANESE MIDFIELDER
March 1, 2024
FC Seoul ha Japanese midfielder Takuya Shigehiro on a year-long loan from J-League outfit.
The holding midfielder seems surplus to requirements at the Japanese club, only making 18 appearances in the last two years, scoring once.
He is likely to play second fiddle to Ki Sung-yueng and Ryu Jae-moon in the middle of the park. Shigehiro’s signing also means that forgotten man Hosam Aiesh will be ineligible for K-league registration as the Japanese player will fill the ASEAN quote spot this season.
OFFICIAL: REBIN SULAKA SIGNS FOR FC SEOUL
February 21, 2024
FC Seoul have today announced the signing of Iraq international defender Rebin Sulaka on a free transfer. The move had been reported to be in the works for the past few weeks, with Seoul finally getting their man as they look to find reinforcements at the back.
Sulaka most recently played for IF Brommapojkarna in the Swedish top flight, making just 7 appearances. The six-foot-three defender is unlikely to be included in the squad that travels to Gwangju on the opening day due to lack of match fitness, but will surely looking to get up to speed quickly and cement his place in the centre of Seoul’s defence. He will wear the number 14 shirt for the 2024 season.
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NEW KITS RELEASED
February 16, 2024
FC Seoul have today released images of the new kit designs that the team will sport during the 2024 season. The fans have been bombarding the club’s social media pages for weeks asking when the strips will be revealed and made available for purchase, with many stressing that the kits will be released too close to the start of the season.
The design of the new home kit sees the iconic black and red stripes being minimised to one side of the shirt, while the away kit remains white with colour tinted edges on the sleeve and collar.
Sales will begin on February 22nd, while the prices are yet to be announced.
OFFICIAL: JESSE LINGARD SIGNS FOR FC SEOUL
February 8, 2024
FC Seoul have announced that Jesse Lingard has today put pen-to-paper and signed a two-year contract with the capital club, with the option of a third year extension.
In what seems like a whirlwind of a week since the news first broke about the club’s intention to sign the ex-England international, fans of the club can finally breathe a sigh of relief and begin to get excited following the announcement that Lingard has officially joined FC Seoul.
The club staged a press conference this afternoon to announce Lingard’s signing, with the 31 year-old claiming that he ‘can’t wait’ to get back to playing football, and that he chose to join Seoul over other clubs after Seoul ‘officials showed their sincerity by going to Manchester’ to check on his condition in person and not just offering a verbal agreement like other clubs had done.
Lingard will head to Japan tomorrow to join up with his new teammates at their training camp, and could be in line to make his debut on the first day of the season away at Gwangju.
KI SUNG-YUENG NAMED CAPTAIN FOR THE SEASON
February 6, 2024
Kim Gi-dong has chosen to appoint Ki Sung-yueng as club captain for this year’s K-league campaign, with the returning Cho Young-wook picked as the second-in-command.
Ki was seemingly the de-facto captain last year as he lead the majority of the team talks, while giving guidance to young players in the squad despite Osmar being named the official skipper. Ki’s last run as official captain was back in 2022 when Ahn Ik-soo decided to switch captaincy mid-way through the season, before rescinding his decision later down the line.
GO YO-HAN HANGS UP HIS BOOTS
February 2, 2024
FC Seoul club legend and ‘one-club-man’ Go Yo-han has today announced his retirement from football, bringing to an end his twenty year playing career at the capital club at the age of 35.
Nobody in FC Seoul history has made more appearances than Go, with the utility man having amassed an incredible tally of 446 games in the black and red stripes. He was also capped 21 times for his country and even played in the 2018 World Cup. Go made his professional debut in 2006, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 home defeat Jeonnam Dragons in the K-league.
In a show of respect to his legacy at FC Seoul, the club will retire the number 13 shirt that he famously wore during the prime of his career. Go will now become a coach of the u18 side at Osan High School.
BEHIND THE SCRIBBLE
Surrogate Suhoshin
Having arrived in 2016 from the U.K. I was desperate to find a local team to follow in Korea.
My first game at the World Cup Stadium was a 3-2 victory for FC Seoul over Gwangju in June of the same year.
Just like that, I was hooked.
Now, I go home and away. Week in, week out.
I hope you enjoy my ramblings on all things FC Seoul.
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