A Day that will Live in Infamy- 4/18/2015

I have been watching FC Seoul since 2008 and I have been to quite a few “Super Matches”.  The ones that I have been to in Suwon, with the exception of the matches in 2010 and 2014, were anything but super.  Seoul never plays well and they almost always lose.  Even when they do play well, the results usually never go their way. 

Likewise, sitting in the south section really sucks.  It is great to sit with the traveling fans and feel like you are a part of something, but many times there has been little thought for the traveling fans.  The seat allotment is never enough and if you aren’t in the stadium early enough, forget about seeing the game.  Instead, you will spend two hours craning your neck around bodies trying to see the action on the field. 

Even worse, it takes an especially long time to travel back.  The length of time it takes to travel there and back from Seoul is the same as flying to Thailand.  It befuddles me that exiting the stadium continues to be such a shit show every year.  There are never enough busses or taxis, which results in waiting an hour or more to get the hell away from the stadium.  It does not matter if you trying to go back to Seoul or somewhere in Suwon, be prepared to give up at least an hour of your life waiting.  Considering that the “Super Match” happens every year, usually two or three times, and has been ongoing for almost twenty years, you would think the Suwon city officials would have solved this conundrum. 

However, even though the majority of the matches have been miserable and leaving Suwon is more difficult than getting out of ‘Nam, I still continue to go.  The crowd is always amazing and it is usually a good day out.  Plus, it is feel especially wonderful any time Seoul can get a result against Suwon. 

Unfortunately, that is not what happened this weekend.  For all five people out there reading this, you are familiar with the result.  What can be said?  It was a fair result and Seoul has lots of questions that need to be answered.  They were terrible defensively and did not come alive offensively until the game was beyond their reach.  I missed quite a bit of the first half because Kim Yong Dae’s #1 fan was waving a giant flag in front of me, but they were lucky to be tied 1-1 at the end of the first half. 

I feel as though Seoul set out with a decent line up, but from the beginning though, Suwon seemed to have more energy.  They pressed Seoul early and Seoul’s defense looked shaky trying to pass around the press.  It seemed that Suwon was targeting Ko Kwang Min, as often times many of their moves were down the right with So Jung Jin going at him directly.  In the first 20 minutes, Jong Tae Se from the right created a stellar opportunity, putting a cross in the box that no Seoul player got to.  If Lee Sang Ho had stuck a boot out, it would have 1-0 and rightly so.  

Eventually, after 20 minutes a goal for Suwon finally came.  It was typical of the shitty goals that Seoul has allowed this year.  A cross was put into the box, but weakly headed behind by Lee Woong Hee to the left.  It fell to Yeom Gi Hoon, who then crossed it to the right for Jong Tae Se to knock it down into the path of Lee Sang Ho, who scored.  Maybe Kim Yong Dae could have done better. 

Afterwards, as is typical of Seoul, they began to respond.  Yun Il Lok slipped his marker with some nice dribbling and put thru Kim Hyun Sung, who weakly chipped it over the keeper.  Suwon then hit the bar twice.  From the left side, they put in another inviting cross that no Seoul player got to and would only need to be scuffed in by a Suwon player. 

At the end of the first half, Kim Hyun Sung was fouled just outside the box.  Molina stepped up to take the free kick and scored.  How it was 1-1, I have no idea.  However, I was not complaining and was feeling quite optimistic about the second half.  

The second half was a blur thereafter.  Cha Du Ri went out with an injury at the end of the first half and Ko Yo Han slotted in as the right back.  The second goal came from his side as Suwon stretched the defense out, he slid to the center to chase a ball, and Jong Dae Sae passed it for Yeom Gi Hyun to score.  From there, it was game over on yet another Seoul defensive lapse.  Lee Sang Ho scored off a corner and Jong Dae Se scored on a breakaway goal to make it 4-1 as Seoul pushed up looking to score.  From there, it was inevitable that a fifth would come. 

This is the worst loss score wise I have seen from Seoul.  It probably should have been 8-2 and Seoul was lucky that Suwon did not finish them off in the first half.  Question should be asked of their coach, Choi Yong Soo, but that will be for another time.  Even though Seoul was dreadful this game, they did create some good chances in the second half.  It was nice to see Yun Il Lok try and take on some players.  It is just too bad that Seoul does not decide to play offensively until the end of the game or when they are losing.  It is going to be a long season again. 

Finally, there was a sizable contingent of Seoul fans who booed the players at the end.  Someone even threw something.  In my opinion, this showed a complete lack of class and the fans who booed are no better than the bandwagon jumpers.  You support your team through the good and bad and regardless of the result, should never boo.  I do not think the Seoul players went out there with the intent to lose 5-1 and booing them is not going to help their morale at all.