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Jeonbuk capture Korea Cup title for domestic football double

Published: 07 Dec. 2025, 12:36

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors celebrate winning the Korea Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Dec. 6. [YONHAP]

K League 1 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors outlasted Gwangju FC 2-1 to capture the Korea Cup and complete their domestic football double Saturday.

Substitute Lee Seung-woo netted the go-ahead goal in extra time before getting ejected in a testy contest at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on the rainy day. With Gwangju defender Cho Seong-gwon having been tossed earlier in extra time, the two clubs engaged in a 10-on-10 battle over the final 20 or minutes.

Having earlier claimed the K League 1 trophy with ease, Jeonbuk accomplished their second double in club history. They also grabbed the K League 1 and the Korea Cup titles in 2020, when the latter tournament was still called the Korean FA Cup.

Jeonbuk also equaled Pohang Steelers' record with their sixth Korea Cup title.

Both teams played without their head coaches on the bench, with Gwangju's Lee Jung-hyo getting shown the exit in the 40th minute after some heated arguments with the referee and Jeonbuk's Gus Poyet having been suspended after getting ejected during the second leg of the semifinals in August.

The chippy and physical match saw numerous whistles and stoppages in play, leading to more than eight minutes of additional time in the first half.

And about five minutes into added time, Lee Dong-jun put Jeonbuk on the board thanks to a fortuitous bounce.

When Kim Tae-hyun floated a pass into the box, Gwangju defender Jin Si-woo tried to chase it down and ended up running into his own goalkeeper Kim Kyeong-min. The loose ball landed at the feet of Song Min-kyu, who pushed it to wide-open Lee for an easy goal into the gaping net.

Gwangju FC drew level in the 70th minute on a header by Holmbert Fridjonsson, the recipient of a headed pass from Reis.

The teams needed the 30-minute extra period, and about 10 minutes in, the match took an abrupt turn when Cho Seong-gwon was tossed with his second yellow card of the day. After getting tangled up with Lee Seung-woo near a corner flag, Cho momentarily lost his composure and gave Lee a shoulder check. Lee went down in a heap to draw Cho's ejection.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors midfielder Lee Seung-woo, second from right, celebrates scoring during the 2025 Korea Cup final against Gwangju FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Dec. 6. [YONHAP]

Then during stoppage time of the first half of the extra session, Lee put Jeonbuk ahead by getting behind the defense and poking home a sharp cross from Kim Tae-hyun.

Early in the second half, though, Lee himself got ejected from the match after leaving his feet and crashing into Gwon Seong-yun.

Gwon, after apparently sustaining a head injury, was taken off the field in an ambulance.

Jeonbuk had a couple of chances to extend their lead down the stretch, with Joao Gamboa striking the crossbar with a shot from just outside the box moments after the taking the field during stoppage time of the second extra half.

Gwangju tried to push back but ran out of time.

Yonhap