Na Sang-ho at the double helps FC Seoul onto first win of 2021

A Na sang-ho brace helped FC Seoul pick up their first win of the season, displacing newly-promoted Suwon FC 3-0 in Sunday's Hana 1Q K League 1 Round 2 match.

An own goal, forced by a proving Aleksandar Paločević, and a brace from Na Sang-ho gave Park Jin-sub is first win as FC Seoul manager. Suwon FC, again hauling off their U22 players, could have been on the receiving end of a drubbing had it not have been for a missed penalty in he dying embers and two disallowed goals from the hosts.

Pre-match

Ahead of his first match in the home dugout at Sangam, FC Seoul boss Park Jin-sub named the same starting XI to that which lost away to Jeonbuk on opening day. Ki Sung-yueng was deemed fit to start, despite being taken off after 37 minutes last week.

Suwon FC's Kim Do-kyun stuck with the two U22 players which were hauled off after just 16 minutes against Daegu FC last week. However, to replace the injured Yang Dong-hyun, former Gyeongnam forward Kim Seung-joon was given the nod while Han Seung-gyu was preferred in midfield to start against the club he spent a year on loan with last year.

First Half

The contest got off to a frenzied start with Paločević and Osmar trying their luck from just outside the area in the first minute following Na Sang-ha's determined wing play on the right. Seoul really ought to have taken the lead but Suwon will have felt relieved not to have gone behind.

The early look on goal was perhaps what Seoul needed after last weekend's disappointment. Osmar  was trying to get Seoul ticking from deep, his passes were met with a ripple of applause from the socially-distant crowd.

With Park Chu-young dropping deep to pick up the ball, Seoul were trying to get runners beyond him in Na Sang-ho and Cho Young-wook who, despite a mis-placed pass, was able to fashion a chance Paločević to shoot once more. Former FC Seoul goalkeeper Yoo Hyun was alert, however, in what was his first appearance back at Sangam since departing in 2018.

Paločević, who managed to rack up 14 goals and six assists for Pohang last year, showed from as early as the first few minutes that he intends to arrive into the box from midfield and get shots on goal. A goal from the 28 year old seemed as though it was coming.

The visitors were penned in their own half for most of the first 10 to 12 minutes or so but registered their first attempt on goal in the 14th minute, Cho Sang-jun striking from distance after Han Seung-gyu and goalkeeper Yang Han-bin had contested for a loose ball.

Another chance fell shortly after, this time to Kim Seung-joon who forced a decent stop out of Yang in something of a one-on-one situation. 

But Seoul went up the other end and very nearly took the lead. Yoon Jong-gyu did excellently to get to the touchline, beat his man and then cut back to Cho Young-wook. Cho's shot brushed the outside of the side netting and out for a goal kick. 

The first substitutions were made in the 20th minute, Lee Ki-hyeok and Cho Sang-jun lasting four minutes longer than they did against Daegu, this time being replaced by Murilo on loan from Jeonbuk, and Jeong Chung-geun respectively.

Suwon FC were given a free kick in a dangerous area after a last ditch tackle was mis-timed. Murilo, Lee Young-jae and Han Seung-gyu all stood over the ball but it was Murilo who struck the ball, forcing a good save from Yang Han-bin. Suwon's follow-up hit the post and Seoul lived to fight another day.

28' GOAL! It will go down as an own goal but it was Aleksandar Paločević's making. In the 28th minute, a Yoon Jong-gyu throw, flicked on by Park Chu-young made its way to the Serbian who tried to slide the ball across to Na Sang-ho on the edge of the six-yard box. The ball, however, hits Suwon defender Jeong Dong-ho and goes in, no more than the hosts deserved.

In the 37th minute, some dithering and indecisiveness from Park Chu-young earned Seoul a free-kick on the edge of the box. The hosts had looked as though they were about to hit Suwon on the break but had to make do with a free kick instead.

Osmar's dummy run pathed the way for Paločević to have a shot on goal but his effort was tame and claimed comfortably by Yoo Hyun. Potentially, a sign of some early complacency from the capital club who had looked comfortable in possession, assured and calm and will have gone in at the break thinking their efforts warranted a more generous lead. But at 1-0, Suwon were still in the game and had asked a few questions of goalkeeper Yang Han-bin in the first 45.

Just before half time, Cho Young-wook thought he had doubled FC Seoul's lead with his first of the season after Paločević slid the all into the path of the 21-year-old who, after a lucky bobble, fired into the roof of the net. However, replays showed that the ball had struck his hand in the build up and the goal was chalked off.

Second Half

Suwon FC made a change at half time, centre back Cho Yu-min coming on for Jeong Jae-yong. But, despite the defensive reinforcements, it didn't take long for Seoul to double their advantage.

53' GOAL! Six minutes into the second half and Seoul found a second goal. Ki Sung-yeung with his trademark taekbae special delivery pass from deep all the way up to Na Sang-ho who was already on the shoulder of the last defender. Na needed just one touch to control it and another to slot the ball into the bottom corner. 

⚽️ 43‘ GOAL! FC Seoul 2-0 Suwon FC

🍽️ Ki Sung-yueng puts it on a plate for Na Sang-ho.
📺 Watch 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘: https://t.co/A2QSGWlehT#KLeague | #K리그 | #SEOvSUW pic.twitter.com/pNpE6rliqw

— K League (@kleague) March 7, 2021

*correction: '53

Seoul grew in confidence but in searching for a third became a little complacent. A more expansive Seoul, though, allowed the game to open up a touch with Suwon FC afforded some space. 

FC Seoul waited until the 65th minute before making any changes, young forward Lee In-gyu and winger Park Jung-bin coming on for Paločević and Cho Young-wook who had both put on very good displays. Park Chu-young remained the sole striker after the two like-for-like changes.

Suwon came a coat of paint away from pulling a goal back with Kim Seung-jun cutting in from the left and firing toward the bottom corner. Yang Han-bin was beaten but Kim's effort struck the post and bounced out to safety.

Suwon FC then looked to Lars Veldwijk from the bench, the South African international striker came on for Han Seung-gyu - the visitors now with two strikers in a last ditch attempt to salvage something from the game.

Kim Do-kyun's side asked questions but didn't look probing enough when it mattered and Seoul seldom seem to have to break sweat defensively.

At this point in proceedings and Suwon had brought on another of their winter recruits, Kim Ho-nam who replaced Kim Seung-jun.

In the 77th minute, it was very nearly 3-0 with Park Jung-bin nodding wide from Han Chan-hee's cross. Han, on as a sub for Ki Sung-yeung, fired in an inch-perfect ball towards the back post where Park was well positioned. But, the former Servette wingers head flashed across goal and the score remained 2-0.

79' GOAL! That was, however, until Na Sang-ho scored his second and Seoul's third in the 79th minute. Na picked the ball up on the edge of the box, cut in, before unleashing a sweetly struck shot into the bottom corner - a brace for the former Gwangju forward on his FC Seoul home debut. The capital club now well and truly out of sight with around 10 minutes remaining.

⚽️ 80‘ GOAL! FC Seoul 3-0 Suwon FC

☄️ Na Sang-ho gets his brace with this beauty!
📺 Watch 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘: https://t.co/A2QSGWlehT#KLeague | #K리그 | #SEOvSUW pic.twitter.com/C6JTmWsB1t

— K League (@kleague) March 7, 2021

Centre back Hong Joon-ho thought he had made it 4-0 after coming on for Park Chu-young but the former Gwangju man's neat finish was disallowed for offside. Seoul had smelled blood at this point and had another chance to score. Lee In-gyu's trickery bamboozled Yun Young-sun leading to the centre back bringing down Seoul's young forward and, following a VAR review, a penalty was awarded in the 93rd minute.

Up stepped Lee but the rookie's spot kick was saved by Yoo Hyun. The penalty was the last action of the match: FC Seoul 3-0 Suwon FC.

Line-ups

FC Seoul (4-2-3-1): 21 Yang Han-bin, 23 Yoon Jong-gyu, 2 Hwang Hyun-soo, 40 Kim Won-gun, 27 Ko Kwang-min, 8 Ki Sung-yueng (captain) (16 Han Chan-hee 73'), 5 Osmar, 26 Aleksandar Paločević (20 Lee In-gyu 65'), 7 Na Sang-ho, 11 Cho Young-wook (22 Park Jung-bin 65'), 10 Park Chu-young (15 Hong Joon-ho 81').

Unused substitutes: 1 Yu Sang-hun, 17 Kim Jin-ya, 19 Jung Han-min

Suwon FC (4-2-3-1): 51 Yoo Hyun, 2 Jeong Dong-ho, 22 Yun Young-sun, 14 Kim Geon-woong, 6 Park Joo-ho, 28 Lee Young-jae , 8 Jeong Jae-yong (20 Cho Yu-min 46'), 66 Han Seung-gyu (9 Veldwijk 70'), 29 Cho Sang-jun (10 Murilo 20'), 21 Lee Ki-hyeok (19 Jeong Chung-geun 20'), 7 Kim Seung-joon (11 Kim Ho-nam 75').

Unused substitutes: 1 Park Bae-jong, 33 Kim Byeom-yong

Officials

Referee: Park Byung-jin
Assistants: Yang Jae-yong, Kim Ji-wook
4th official: Ahn Jae-hoon