Pohang Steelers vs Jeonbuk Motors: FA Cup Preview

                The most succesful club in the FA Cup are hosting the round’s biggest match as Jeonbuk Motors are at The Steeleyard Wednesday to try and stop Pohang from getting their 5^th cup. These two teams  met in both 2012 and 2013 when Pohang went on to win back to back titles, and in 2014, were both knocked out by the two finalist FC Seoul and Seongnam FC.

                The Steeleyard home field advantage has done Pohang; Jeonbuk has played in the coastal city stadium 18 times since 2004 )all competitions included) and has only come away with 4 victories. However none of their wins, home or away, have come against Pohang in an FA Cup match.

                No with only 10 points separating them in the table, Pohang is going to have to focus on Jeonbuk main strikers. Jeonbuk’s Edu and Leonardo are the top two goal scorers in the league with 9 and 7 respectively over 16 rounds. Mix in Lee Dong-Gook, a former Pohang player, and you have the most lethal goal scoring tri in the league.

               The coaches in today's match are arguably the best two in the leaegue. Pohangs Hwang Sun-Hong won the league and FA Cup by coaching a team of entirely Koreans against teams who seem to rely on foreigner talent to fill at least one spot on the field, if not four. Jeonbuk's Coach Choi Kang-Hee took reigns of the national team in 2012 after winning his second league title, for an 18 month stint, leading the team through World Cup qualifiers. He has also been selected to lead the all-star team this year. 

                Jeonbuk’s defense is statically better, but Pohang has more multiple goal scorers; seven players to be exact. I would expect the Motors defense to back in a bit more tightly this game, possibly with two defensive midfielders as the visiting team can’t afford to go behind in the game at that stadium. If Pohang does push forward, look for the likes of Eninho and Leonardo to lead quick counter attacks as the two have done so all this season.

                Jeonbuk lost to Pohang in the 2013 finals, and haven’t been there since they won their 3^rd title in 2005. Jeonbuk are the only team in all 3 major competitions. Kickoff is Wednesday at 7:30pm KST.