FC Seoul Clinches Final Berth
By Bryan Kay
Staff Reporter
FC Seoul booked a place in the final of the K-League playoffs Sunday after an extra-time goal blitz secured a 4-2 win over Ulsan Tigers.
The game was tied at 1-1 after the end of the 90 minutes, but then sprang into action during the 30 minutes of extra play.
Seoul had taken the lead midway through the first half through Jung Jo-gook.
That advantage looked to be enough to win the game and lasted until the game entered the 80th minute.
It was Yeom Ki-hun who struck for Ulsan and ensured the game would go into extra time. He slid the ball home after a headed knock-down sent the ball down into his path from the right side of the penalty box, proving the Tigers had brought along their shooting boots.
Until that point, clean-cut chances for both sides had been wasted and build-up play was often sloppy.
With parity restored, it looked like Seoul might cave in after seeing their lead cut down.
But players in black and red didn't stay down for long and retook the lead midway through the first half of extra time when Dejan Damjanovic struck home.
They then doubled the advantage with a goal in the 20th minute, Kim Eun-jung on target for the home side.
It looked to be over as a contest, but the Tigers had other ideas. Just three minutes later, they pulled one back through Luis Carlos Fernandes who rounded the keeper and tapped in to take the score to 3-2.
At that stage, fans of both teams could have been forgiven for thinking they were watching a different set of players from the ones who played in the initial 90 minutes.
There was only going to be one winner, though, and Seoul wrapped up the match with five minutes to go, Kim Seung-yong striking to give the final scoreline a slightly more emphatic look.
Seoul will now take on Suwon Bluewings in a two-leg final Dec. 3 and 7.