Weekend Picks
Published: 02 Apr. 2015, 20:59
Jeju United at FC Seoul
2 p.m. Saturday, Seoul World Cup Stadium
FC Seoul, currently ranked 11th among 12 clubs, will be looking for its first win of the season after losing its first three games. FC Seoul coach Choi Yong-soo is struggling, as the club has allowed two goals in each of the three games they’ve played.
But history suggests that the five-time K-League champions could snap their losing streak this weekend; Seoul hasn’t lost its last 21 games (13 wins, 8 draws) against Jeju, since 2008.
Seoul aims to get its 1,500th goal in the league, as it is only three goals away. If the club reaches its 1,500th goal, Seoul will be the second Korean club to achieve the milestone, after the Pohang Steelers.
Seoul’s Colombian attacker Mauricio Molina hopes to become the player who has achieved 60 goals and 60 assists in the shortest time. The 34-year-old currently has 64 goals and 59 assists in 177 matches, just one assist away from breaking the record.
Molina has so far collected two goals and six assists in 10 matches against Jeju. Getting an assist will beat the record of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ Brazilian forward Eninho, who achieved the milestone in 207 matches.
Jeju has yet to lose this season, getting one win and two draws. The team is especially excited after collecting a 5-0 win against Daejeon Citizen in the last round.
KBO League
Samsung Lions at LG Twins
6:30 p.m. Friday, Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Seoul
Four-time defending champion Samsung Lions travel to the nation’s capital to face the LG Twins. The two teams will also go head-to-head 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Lions have been solid in both ends of the game, with offense led by Dominican Republic slugger Yamaico Navarro and three-time Golden Glove winner Choi Hyoung-woo, with veteran Lee Seung-yeop supporting.
For the Twins, injuries from core players are causing headaches. No.3 batter in the lineup and center outfielder Park Yong-taik, KBO’s leading hitter in 2009, is out of the lineup with the flu. Manager Yang Sang-moon has been filling his void by adding veteran Lee Byung-kyu in the batting lineup, while second baseman Kim Yong-eui has moved to center outfielder.
SK Handball Korea League
Incheon City Hall vs. Seoul City Hall
12 p.m. Saturday, SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, Seoul
The new season of the semi-pro league starts its three-month journey, with the women’s division defending champion Incheon City Hall taking on Seoul City Hall. The season opener for men’s division, Korosa facing off with Doosan, also begins on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the same location.
Because of Gwangju Universiade and the qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the league will close three months earlier than usual, wrapping up on June 7. In the men’s division, five teams will play 12 games each, while in the women’s division, eight teams will play 14 games each.
The regular season winner goes directly to the best-of-five championship series, while the No.2 and No.3 seeds face off each other in two playoff games to reach the finals.
BY JOO KYUNG-DON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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