FC Seoul started off the match on a brighter note than their closely-matched competitors by opening the scoring on the 21st minute through Dos Santos. Ki managed to successfully pick out the skilled Brazilian and Santos didn’t disappoint in his finish as the advantage was thrown in the direction of the hosts. Rather than slump and relinquish into obscurity, Suwon conceding acted as a catalyst for the comeback and Kwak Hee-ju was left with a simple tap-in after Mato Neretlzak’s header.
Suwon will approach the second leg with much confidence and optimism after they finished the match as the stronger team in terms of dominance, chances and possession and if they can strike early in the vital home tie then the championship will look to be within their grasps.
Mato Neretlzak rationally concluded that the outcome was just, saying “We should have won this match. But it’s not a bad result as we have the away match. We did not play well in the first half, but we were the better team in the second half.”
FC Seoul made it to the final by prevailing victorious in an extra-time enforced 4-2 win over Ulsan Tigers in the single semi-final, while Suwon were given a bye into the final as they finished top of the 26-match strong league campaign. Encounters between the two K-League clubs are regarded as one of the biggest on the calendar as both teams profess extremely loyal fan bases and attract the largest crowds in the entire division. The duo are the only clubs who attract an average crowd of over 20,000 in South Korea so their meetings are deemed as a domestic spectacle, and even more attention will be present in the environment of the second leg of an illustrious final.
Expect the usual flurry of Brazilian magic across both starting elevens in a mix of continental flair and home-grown solidarity. Montenegrin international striker Dejan Damjanović is the key to unlocking FC Seoul's potency upfront and we back the Number 11 to build on from his semi-final goal - a winning goal would cap a wonderful season off in emphatic style for both individual and club honours.
Previous Meetings: In matchday 6 during the league campaign, FC Seoul lost to Suwon 2-0 in a home tie while the reverse fixture saw Seoul claim all three points during matchday 24.
Last Season: The final was challenged between Pohang Steelers and the nation’s most successful club Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, who have to date won the championship on seven occasions. Pohang Steelers ran out 4-1 winners in the aggregate scoreline, whilst Suwon were eliminated in the semi-finals and FC Seoul failed to make the crucial top six segment.
Interesting Fact: FC Seoul are currently managed by the former Turkish national team manager Senol Gunes, who led his country to a remarkable third-place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
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