Reigning champions Jeonnam knocked out of FA Cup

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Reigning champions Jeonnam knocked out of FA Cup

Published: 26 May. 2022, 14:57

Jo Seong-joon of Jeju United kicks the ball during an FA Cup match against FC Seoul on Wednesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul. [NEWS1]

K League 3 club Busan Transportation Corporation FC beat defending champions Jeonnam Dragons after a penalty shoot-out in the round of 16 at the FA Cup on Wednesday.

Playing at Gwangyang Football Stadium in Gwangyang, South Jeolla, the K League 3 club and the defending champions were level at 2-2 until the end of extra time with Busan edging the defending champions out after winning the penalty shoot out 5-4.

Just 15 minutes into the match, Jeonnam took a one goal lead with an own goal from In Seok-hwan of Busan Transportation Corporation.

Busan then leveled the scoring just three minutes later, with Park Tae-hong scoring the club's first goal — or at least the first in the right goal — in the 18th minute.

In the 36th minute, Jeonnam took back the lead with a goal from Jung Woo-bin.

It seemed the defending champions were close to sealing victory until four minutes into injury time at the end of the second half, when Busan’s Lee Min-woo scored the equalizer to push the match to extra time.

Neither team was able to pull ahead over the extra 30 minutes, pushing the game to a penalty shootout which Busan Transportation Corporation won 5-4.

Th loss comes just five months after the Jeonnam Dragons became the first K League 2 club ever to win the FA Cup. They had beaten K League 1 club Daegu FC 4-3 at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu to tie the two-leg final 4-4 on aggregate and win on away goals.

It was also the first time in FA Cup history that the final was decided on the away goals rule, and the seven goals scored in the final game were the most ever scored in a single FA Cup final match.

The FA Cup is not part of the K league season, but is a knockout competition hosted by the Korea Football Association, with the winner earning a ticket to the AFC Champions League. The Suwon Samsung Bluewings have the most FA Cup trophies, winning five.

Jeonnam has the second-most titles, having won in 1997, 2006, 2007 and last year. They finished runner-up in 2003.

Alongside Busan Transportation Corporation FC, Ulsan Hyundai beat K League 2 club Gyeongnam FC 2-0, K League 2 club Bucheon FC 1995 beat K League 2 club Gwangju FC 2-1, FC Seoul beat Jeju United 3-1, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat K League 3 club Ulsan Citizen FC 1-0, Suwon Samsung Bluewings beat Gangwon FC 2-0, the Pohang Steelers beat Seongnam FC 2-1 and Daegu FC beat K League 3 club Daejeon Korail FC after a penalty shootout.

Daegu and Daejeon Korail were tied at 3-3 until the end of extra time, with Daegu winning the penalty shootout 5-4.

The eight clubs will play their FA Cup quarterfinals on June 29.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]