FA Cup Preview: Jeju United vs Korea University

Jeju United enter the Round of 32 against Korea University hoping to improve on last year's result, where they were knocked out of the competition by Suwon in the last sixteen.  They will be facing a side full of confidence, as the University side defeated Seoul E-Land in the last round to advance.  K League United's Branko Belan has a look at the upcoming fixture.

Match: Jeju United vs Korea University
Venue: Jeju World Cup Stadium
Kickoff: Wednesday July 25th, 2018, 19:30 KST

Last Time Out

Jeju have been a bit on the rails lately, having lost three straight in league competition.  Their last match out against Gangwon FC was one to forget, a 3-1 defeat which saw their hopes for a Champions League place next season diminish just a little bit.  Jung Jo-gook converted from the penalty spot on sixteen minutes for the hosts, only for Kweon Han-jin to equalize only three minutes later, but Gangwon's late heroics saved them once again, as an Uros Deric double inside of the final ten minutes gave them all three points.

Team News

Cho Sung-hwan should have a full complement of players at his disposal to choose from for the midweek cup tie, but it is very likely that he will field a younger lineup.  The chemistry has been off lately, and the hope is that the mini break away from league action will provide a bit of a reprieve for The Islanders, as they look to restore their confidence in the midst of their current slide.  A win is badly needed, especially with the knowledge that K League 1 competition, one of either Suwon Bluewings or Gyeongnam FC, awaits them in the next round if they progress.

The Adversary

Korea University come into the match with confidence, having eliminated Seoul E-Land in the third round on penalties.  The two-time defending U-League champions will have their sights set high in hopes of causing another upset.  They have the potential to be a thorn in Jeju's side if the home team does not make the pitch their own on home ground Wednesday night.  If they continue on their current run, another surprise could be in the offing, but The Islanders will do everything to deny that possibility from becoming reality.

Who to Watch

Jeong Tae-wook will most likely get a start in the first eleven, needing match experience with the Asian Games approaching.  He has made a total of ten starts for the club this season, and could be a factor for Jeju in the second half of the season.  He's tall at 195 centimeters, and will be an imposing force for the opposition.  With World Cup experience already under his belt, he will be counted on as one of the men at the back to hold the fort for Jeju to get a result and move on to the next round.

Prediction

Jeju are in desperation mode at the moment, and need a victory to restore their confidence.  With home field advantage, it should be enough to see them through, but cup football sometimes tells another story.  Nonetheless, they have the quality to get the win, and can count on a number of weapons to do what needs to be done to get them into the last sixteen.  The hope is that Cho will choose wisely enough so that The Islanders get the win they so badly need at the moment, and kick up into another gear for the remainder of the competition, and the rest of the season.

Prediction: Jeju United 3-1 Korea University