Sports Briefs

FA CUP

FC Seoul makes semifinals with first win for Hwang

FC Seoul has qualified for the semifinals of the Korean FA Cup. This is the third straight year the team has made it this far in the annual tournament.

During the 2016 KEB Hana Bank FA Cup’s quarterfinals match on Wednesday, FC Seoul, the defending champion, edged the Jeonnam Dragons by 4-3 during the penalty shootout.

The two K-League Classic team was unable to settle the score, despite going all the way in overtime.

After a 120-minute match, FC Seoul finally grabbed its first win since manager Hwang Sun-hong took over the helm late last month after Choi Yong-soo.

“Football is a tough sport,” said Hwang. “I didn’t think the first win would be this difficult. The result is important, of course, but I think we need to play a more intense game if we were to advance further in the tournament.”

Elsewhere, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who currently ranks at the top of the K-League Classic, was defeated by Bucheon FC 1995 3-2 and was knocked out of the annual tournament.

By edging Jeonbuk, Bucheon, a team that currently plays in the second-tier K-League Challege, gave Jeonbuk its first loss this season.

OLYMPICS

Korea Football Association selects Rio reserve team

The Korea Football Association announced Thursday reserve members for the Summer Games football team in Rio.

KFA included in its reserve roster forward Hwang Ui-jo of the Seongnam FC, midfielder Lee Gwang-hyuk of the Pohang Steelers, Vegalta Sendai defender Kim Min-tae and goalkeeper Lee Chang-geun from the Suwon FC.

These players will replace any players on the 18-men roster, which was announced on June 27, in case of injury before or during the Olympics.

In addition to the four reserve members, the KFA also decided on 13 other players who could replace the players in the current roster before the Olympics starts.

The Olympics football team will leave Korea on July 18.

By Choi Hyung-jo