Jeonbuk, Pohang to meet for FA Cup

The Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat the Busan I’Park, 3-1, on Sunday, setting the way for an FA Cup final with the Pohang Steelers.

The Steelers defeated the Jeju United, 4-2, in the other semifinals on Saturday. The Cup finals will be held at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Oct. 19.

Jeong Hyuk put the Motors on the scoreboard with a goal at the 10-minute mark at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. Lee Jung-ho then answered with an equalizer for the hosts in the 24th. Lee Kyu-ro gave the Motors the lead again in the 57th minute, and Leonardo extended it during injury time, sealing the victory.

At Jeju World Cup Stadium on Saturday, Luis Carlos dos Santos Martins put Jeju ahead just a minute into the game, but Ko Mu-yeol leveled it in the eighth minute, and No Byung-joon turned the tables for Pohang two minutes into the second half. Pedro struck an equalizer on a penalty shot for Jeju in the 58th minute, but Pohang ran away with goals by Park Sung-ho and Cho Chan-ho, advancing the Steelers to the finals for a second successive year.

Both teams are vying for a fourth FA Cup title, which will make the victor the winningest team in the Cup history. Pohang, the defending champion, won the inaugural event in 1996 and earned its second title in 2008.

Jeonbuk won the title in 2000, 2003 and 2006. The Chunnam Dragons and the Suwon Bluewings have also won the FA Cup title three times.

Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee is seeking his second FA Cup title after he won it in his debut year coaching the Motors in 2005.

Pohang, managed by Hwang Sun-hong, is seeking to become just the third team in K-League to win two FA Cup titles in a row.

The Dragons won the title in 2006 and 2007, while the Bluewings won it in 2009 and 2010.

The league-leading Pohang and fourth-ranked Jeonbuk met earlier this month, when the league kicked off the second half of its season. Pohang routed Jeonbuk, 3-0.

BY MOON GWANG-LIP [joe@joongang.co.kr]