It was the last super match of the season, and it was a big match that drew keen attention as Suwon Samsung’s “de facto relegation” could be confirmed. This is why 36,000 people filled the Sangam bee even in cold weather.
The home team Seoul allowed Basani to score a mid-range shot in the 18th minute of the second half, leading the team to 0-1. The Seoul home cheering section fell into silence, and explosive cheers erupted in the Suwon away cheering section. It was because they saw a ray of hope at the edge of the cliff. The contrast between Seoul and Suwon was sharply divided.
Seoul was in a hurry. To make matters worse, captain Osmar committed a rough tackle in the 43rd minute of the second half and was sent off directly. He was determined to score an equalizer and a come-from-behind goal, but his body did not support him. Still, there was plenty of time. Now that he had nine minutes to add.
The incident happened in 3 minutes of extra time. Ki Sung-yueng tripped Suwon Jeon Jin-woo’s leg. It wasn’t even an inflationary situation. The desire to kick a free kick quickly recognized Jeon Jin-woo in front of the ball and pushed him roughly. Jeon collapsed on the spot.
Teams of both teams gathered here in an instant. Palosevic (Seoul) and Lee Sang-min (Suwon) clashed, and Ko Seung-bum (Suwon) who was trying to stop them was assaulted in the face while standing in the middle of a vortex. Seoul Physical Coach Chung Hoon-ki stormed the ground and punched Ko in the face. After VAR review, Chung was sent off. Chung complained to the referee and went into the locker room. 안전놀이터
War of nerves occurs frequently in all rival matches around the world. However, it is very rare for a home team losing at the end of the second half to trigger a war of nerves. He tried to overcome his opponent’s provocation by saving time, but the oldest player in Seoul Ki Sung-yueng became a catalyst by himself. He has earned nothing.
What was the result? The extra time continued to pass. Seoul even goalie Baek Jong-beom took part in a corner kick to tie the game, but Seoul lost 0-1 without making a single shot. Fans of rival Suwon chanted “Nasa Nasu (My love, Suwon)” together as if they were going to devour the Sangam. Seoul fans hurriedly left the Sangam with their heads bowed.
What if Ki Sung-yueng maintained his composure and continued his free kick? Seoul home fans might not have lowered their heads. Sangam may not have been covered with Suwon cheering areas. Super matches may not have been stained with “unnecessary assault” in social news beyond sports news. The biggest damage was done to Seoul.
On the same day, Jeonbuk Hyundai and Gwangju FC had a showdown at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium. Jeonbuk and Gwangju, ranking fourth, struggled for a berth to the next season’s AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE). As even ranking third in the K-League could advance to the ACLE, the home team Jeonbuk absolutely needed a win.
Jeonbuk took a 2-0 lead in the first half with consecutive goals by Ahn Hyun-beom and Song Min-gyu. Jeonbuk also led the lead in the second half. Jeonbuk was expected to win unless there was a big variable. Considering that the next game was an away game in Hyundai, Ulsan, the best scenario was to finish without any injuries.
However, Kim Jin-soo (Jeonbuk Hyundai) collided with Timo (Gwangju FC) in the 35th minute of the second half. During the competition, Kim Jin-soo fell down, and Timo pulled Kim Jin-soo’s ankle with his hand. Kim Jin-soo pushed Timo’s chest and Timo responded. For your information, the game has not been suspended. While Gwangju players were moving up to Jeonbuk and counterattacking, the two stared face-to-face near the half line.
When the ball flew out of the line, the referee called in Timo and Kim Jin-soo to warn them. Kim Jin-soo will not be able to play in the final game against Hyundai in Ulsan, as five warnings have been accumulated due to this warning. It is quite fatal. Kim Jin-soo, a key defender of Jeonbuk, should watch the game on TV, although he needs to beat Ulsan to advance to the ACLE to secure the top three spots.
This is not the end. When Kim was warned, he got more excited and pushed Timo’s chest again. Timo fell backwards and looked at the referee as if he had been waiting. The referee did not give Kim an additional warning. Kim could have been ejected in the final home game.
If Kim Jin-soo had not been warned for ignoring Timo’s provocation, he could have participated in the “Hyundaiga Derby” and jumped to the third place. Ulsan, which has already confirmed its victory, is relatively less motivated. If Jeonbuk beats Ulsan and Gwangju fails to beat Pohang, Jeonbuk will play in the ACLE as the third place. At a time when each of its key players was valuable, Kim Jin-soo himself caused the team to miss the match against Ulsan.