"Devastated" Seoul E-Land lick their playoff wounds

John Iredale wasn't making excuses after his Seoul E-Land side lost to Seongnam on Thursday. The Australian knows playoffs are a lottery, and it only takes "one chance" to change your season entirely.

It is rather extraordinary that Seongnam FC are through to the final K League 2 playoff against Bucheon FC this Sunday. It wasn’t until the final round of the regular season that the Magpies claimed a playoff spot, thanks to Jeonnam Dragons’ late collapse in Asan. They then traveled to Mokdong to face another in-form team, Seoul E-Land, on Thursday knowing a win in 90 minutes was required to progress.

For more than 80 minutes, Seongnam posed little threat. But when they found space down the right flank, Shin Jae-won’s brilliant cross was headed home by Seongnam’s danger man, Leonardo Ruiz. The Colombian had been a peripheral figure for most of the contest, but cometh the hour… His bullet header sent the away end into raptures. Seoul had chances to equalize—hitting the woodwork at one point—but it wasn’t to be. When the final whistle blew, players from both sides slumped onto the cold turf.

[READ: The Cesinha Interview: "I made K League history"]

Kim Do-kyun, Seoul’s manager, arrived at the media centre long after full time. “The players did their best, but it’s a bit disappointing that we couldn’t score.” He acknowledged that Seoul “performed well in the first round robin this season, struggled in the second, but barely recovered in the third to get this far, which has been a great learning experience for both the players and me. We will prepare thoroughly to become a team that can definitely earn promotion next year.”

John Iredale emerged from the dressing room looking shattered—emotionally, not physically. The striker admitted he’s “devastated right now because we just went 39 weeks straight with a goal to get promoted. But we fell short. Today hurts a lot.” The Australian lasted 57 minutes before making way for Gabriel Santos. He confirmed he wasn’t injured; Kim simply wanted fresh legs.

K League’s unique playoff structure usually plays into the hands of the home team. Needing only a draw to advance, the pressure shifts onto the visitors to take the match to their hosts. But this creates a dilemma when the home side don’t score: does the manager stick with the starting XI, make like-for-like changes, or go more defensive because a draw is enough?

Seoul scored 64 goals in 2025, good for third in the league. Seongnam, meanwhile, managed 18 fewer. Most observers believed that if Seoul took the game to the Magpies and scored first, their progress would be a mere formality. Seoul controlled the opening hour, but without a goal they inevitably sat back. Ruiz’s winner didn’t come against the run of play—Seongnam had been turning the screw.

“These types of knockout playoff games are different,” Iredale continued. “We have the home advantage and maybe that played into our minds. We’re in control, so that stops us from going forward and being more dominant. One chance—that’s all it takes. It’s a very tough pill to swallow.” Seongnam scored from their only chance in 90 minutes.

[READ: Bucheon FC 1995 "ready" for their date with destiny]

Iredale admitted the playoff structure is “a bit strange,” as his team doesn’t have a second leg to rectify the situation. “But the game on Sunday between Bucheon and Seongnam is going to be the same. The better team is going to win.”

As mentioned earlier, Iredale is not physically burnt out. He returns to Australia this week, “but personally I am not ready for a break right now. I didn’t plan on us losing today. I thought we were going to go all the way to the last game. It feels weird standing here now, after a defeat.”

The 26-year-old striker, who scored 10 times in 27 matches, will be returning next season. So will Euller, the Brazilian sensation who notched 23 goal contributions in 2025. There’s even talk of a new deal for Osmar. “Hopefully the majority of the team will stay next season. Yes, I’m really enjoying my time here.”

Seoul E-Land will be in the promotion hunt again next season.