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Defending champions Jeonbuk to face Steelers in FA Cup final

Published: 02 Nov. 2023, 14:11 Updated: 02 Nov. 2023, 16:42

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Moon Seon-min scores the first goal during the semifinal match against Incheon United at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. [KFA/YONHAP]

Defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will meet the Pohang Steelers in the Korean FA Cup final on Saturday after playing two vastly different semifinal matches Wednesday night.

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Jeonbuk defeated rival Incheon United 3-1 at home in Jeonju, North Jeolla after the teams made it to halftime tied with a goal each. But two goals by Jeonbuk in the second half, one by Paik Seung-ho and a penalty shot by Park Jae-yong, locked in a finals return for last year’s champs.

Further south in Jeju, Pohang finally triumphed over Jeju United after a grueling two hours on the field where a 1-1 draw pushed the teams into extra time. After both were unsuccessful in their attempts to break out of the gridlock, Pohang took the win in a penalty shootout, winning it 4-3.

Pohang Steelers celebrate after defeating Jeju United at Jeju World Cup Stadium on Wednesday to advance to the Korean FA Cup final. [YONHAP]

Neither club is a stranger to the FA Cup final, but Jeonbuk has seen more recent success. Jeonbuk has won the title five times, up one from Pohang’s four, with the Jeonju club’s most recent wins coming in 2022 and 2020.

Saturday will be the teams’ second time meeting in the FA Cup final. Pohang defeated Jeonbuk in a penalty shootout a decade ago, winning the 2013 title in Jeonju on their opponent’s home turf. But Pohang has not seen another final since.

After their last win, the club had a rather disappointing streak at the tournament, including four consecutive years of being knocked out early during the Round of 32. But Pohang seems to be making somewhat of a comeback, making it to the quarterfinals in 2022 and 2021 and notching a semifinals finish in 2020.

Jeonbuk has seen more of a mixed bag, earning a medley of Round of 16 and 32 and quarters and semis finishes in addition to their two recent wins.

This year’s semifinals were postponed from August after one match was canceled due to an approaching typhoon and the other had scheduling conflicts with the World Scout Jamboree — its own mess.

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Both teams have something to prove on Saturday, which will be the only game of the final. Pohang will fight to end their decade-long drought while Jeonbuk defends their title while seeking to win the long-awaited rematch.

But the two also enter Saturday’s game with some fresh beef. The two teams last played to a 1-1 draw in a K League match over the weekend, but Jeonbuk on Monday asked officials to void the score after the Steelers fielded an extra player for six minutes.

The K League said on Monday it would decide this week whether Pohang would forfeit the match, which would automatically award Jeonbuk a 3-0 win, according to K League rules.

Saturday’s game kicks off at 2:15 p.m. local time Saturday in Steelers territory at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang.

BY MARY YANG [[email protected]]