By Pearse McLaughlin
Gwangju FC beat FC Seoul by two goals to nil here at the Gwangju Football Stadium as goals in each half from Lee Heui-Kyun and Gabriel Tigrao ensured all three points stayed in Gwangju as they start their campaign off with a bang. This match was billed as the Jesse Lingard match but his new FC Seoul side fell to an opening day defeat as new manager, Kim Gi-Dong got his tenure off to the worst possible start.
Gwangju FC boss, Lee Jung-Hyo saw his side finish 3rd last season and will be hoping to another strong campaign which kicks off here at home to FC Seoul who have a new manager in Kim Gi-Dong and former Manchester United and England star Jesse Lingard to deal with. In terms of formation Lee Jung-Hyo has gone with the tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation. Five new signings come straight into the starting lineup as we get to see Alexandar Popovic, Kim Jin-Ho, An Hyeok-Joo, Choi Kyoung-Rok, and Gabriel Tigrao for the first time in what is a new look Gwangju FC. The most noticeable absentee from the matochday squad was one their standout performers last term, Jasir Asani which comes as a shock after he declared he would remain for a second campaign in South Korea and we’ll just have to wait and see if it’s due to illness, injury or fatigue.
New FC Seoul manager, Kim Gi-Dong has gone with the 4-2-3-1 formation as it was he preferred formation that brought him tremendous success at Pohang Steelers and will go with it again in his first game in charge of his new side. Funnily enough Kim Gi-Dong’s last game in management was the K-League 1 Final Group A - Round 38 match away to Gwangju FC back on Sunday the 3rd of December 2023 where he took charge of Pohang Steelers for the final time. The surprise exclusion is that of Jesse Lingard who will have to make do with a place on the bench for the time being as he looks to gradually build up his match sharpness having been without a club since his departure from Nottingham Forest in June 2023.
The first meaningful chance of the game falls the way of Gwangju FC in the 7th minute as An Hyeok-Joo fires a shot towards goal from the penalty spot but it is straight at Choi Cheol-Won and is saved comfortably. It all came from a slack pass by Kim Ju-Sung as Gabriel Tigrao intercepts the pass towards Kim Jin-Ya on the right flank, gets to the byline and fires a low cross across the box which An Hyeok-Joo does brilliantly to ghost in and strike an effort towards goal. Great counter press by the home side as they force FC Seoul into a mistake and nearly punish them for it.
Breakthrough as Gwangju FC take the lead in the 21st minute through Lee Heui-Kyun’s wonder strike. It was great initial play down the left hand side as Kim Jin-Ho drove with the ball 30 or 40 yards before playing it to An Hyeok-Joo, An Hyeok-Joo flicked the ball around the corner to Lee Kun-Hee, Lee himself was surrounded by a few FC Seoul players before he turned, took a touch, and played it off to Lee Heui-Kyun who took a touch before unleashing an unstoppable finish into the top left hand corner. Although Choi Cheol-Won did manage to get a glove to the ball but it wasn’t enough as the sheer force of the shot was too much to handle and it goes into the back of the net. Gwangju FC take a deserved 1-0 lead. Terrific team move with a finish that matched it.
First half chance of the game by FC Seoul is created in the 39th minute as Kang Seong-Jin’s floated ball into the box is headed just wide by Kwon Wan-Kyu as he was off balance and at full stretch. Big chance gone a begging as it was a delightful delivery by Kang Seong-Jin and was just asking for someone to head home at the far post from just a few yards out. That’s more like it from FC Seoul as they look for a way back into this game.
Into the second of the three minutes at the end of the first half it’s FC Seoul who threaten yet again to bring the scores level before the break through Cho Young-Wook’s curling effort towards goal but Alexandar Popovic was alert to the danger and deflects the ball behind for a corner. FC Seoul players are surrounding the referee and claiming it struck the hand of Alexandar Popovic and upon review by the VAR officials it was crystal clear the ball struck his stomach and the initial decision of a corner stands. It was a fabulous effort towards goal by Cho Young-Wook as he found space at the edge of the box, shifted the ball onto his stronger right foot and looked to curl the ball into the bottom right corner but Alexandar Popovic positioned himself brilliantly and denied what looked like a certain goal. Phenomenal defending by debutant Alexandar Popovic as he makes sure his side stay in front going in at the break.
Gwangju FC lead FC Seoul by a gaol to nil at the break and that scoreline flatters the away side as they have offered very little going forward and have been dominated so far. Gwangju FC have come out the blocks flying and are looking to get forward as soon as possible and hurt FC Seoul but only lead by a solitary goal and that will annoy the home side as they’ll fell their overall performance merits a greater advantage. Kim Gi-Dong will certainly have stern words to say to his new side as they haven’t been good enough all over the park and will be glad they only trail by a goal. I’m sure it won’t be long until we see the long awaited debut of Jesse Lingard as he is set to make his K-League 1 debut. What a half of football we had and I’m expecting more of the same in the second half plus FC Seoul offering far more as an attacking threat.
Just five minutes into the second half sees Ki Sung-Yueng pounce on a loose ball at the edge of the box as Gwangju FC fail to properly clear their lines and forces Kim Kyeong-Min into a fine stop. This was FC Seoul’s first effort on target as Ki Sung-Yueng was nearly rolling back the years to his days in Scotland with Celtic FC and in the English Premier League with Swansea City, Newcastle United, and Sunderland where he was more of an attacking midfielder who’d chip in regularly with goals from outside the box. Great sign of intent at the start of the second half from FC Seoul as they look to take the game to Gwangju FC right from the off.
Gwangju FC strike back immediately with a chance of their own through their young gem, Eom Ji-Sung in the 53rd minute. The chance all came about because of the vision and ability to pick a pass from Lee Heui-Kyun as he nearly turns provider this time as he splits FC Seoul in two by threading a pass through the eye of a needle and picking out the late run from midfield from Eom Ji-Sung but his shot was straight at Choi Cheol-Won as defenders either side of him narrowed down his angle. Terrific move. Tremendous vision by Lee Heui-Kyun as he nearly an assist to his wonder goal in the first half, what a game he’s having. It remains 1-0.
The moment we’ve all be waiting for as Jesse Lingard steps onto the field for the very first time as an FC Seoul player in the 77th minute as he replaces fellow substitute Kim Kyeong-Min. His first action sees him blaze over from the edge of the box on his weaker left foot as he’s straight into the thick of the action.
On the 84th minute Stanislav Iljutcenko heads towards goal but Kim Kyeong-Min gets down terrifically and parries the ball away to safety. It all came about because a driving run from midfield from Aleksandar Palocevic before he feeds the ball out wide to Jesse Lingard who whips in a first time cross into the box which is met expertly by the big German striker, Stanislav Iljutcenko but his header into the ground lacked any real venom as Kim Kyeong-Min was equal to it. Gwangju FC holding firm as FC Seoul are really pushing for this equalizer. It remains 1-0.
Into the 4th minute of injury time at the end of the game and Jesse Lingard can count himself lucky he didn’t receive his marching orders for a nasty challenge on Oh Hye-Seong. The challenge itself was cynical as he stopped a clear counter attacking situation, the speed of the challenge, and the studs caught Oh Hye-Seong on his left heel. It was looked at by VAR and after a few minutes the referee wasn’t recommended to the monitor and Jesse Lingard just gets a yellow card for his troubles.
Gwangju FC grab a second goal in the 7th minute of stoppage time as Gabriel Tigrao Volleys home from close range to make sure Gwangju FC claim all three points on Match Day 1 of the 2024 K-League 1 season. Jeong Ho-Yeon’s delivery into the box from the corner on the left hand side caused mayhem as FC Seoul’s Kim Ju-Sung flicked the ball on at the near post but unfortunately for him it went straight to the back post where Gabriel Tigrao peeled off to and had the simplest of finishes as he volleyed home with his weaker right foot from inside the six-yard-box. Bedlam in the stands as Gwangju FC take a two nil lead right at the end of the game. Gabriel Tigrao has earned that goal today with an outstanding performance on his debut in the K-League 1 following his transfer from Canelas 2010 in Portugal.
It’s all over here at the Gwangju Football Stadium as Gwangju FC beat FC Seoul two nil thanks to goals in each half from Lee Heui-Kyun and debutant Gabriel Tigrao. It was a match of two of halves as Gwangju FC dominated the first half, creating numerous chances, and should have been out of sight really. In the second half we saw a different side to their game as they defended manfully and looked to catch FC Seoul on the counterattack and it seemed to work a treat. FC Seoul had the bulk of possession in the second half and played far more like themselves but couldn’t break down a resolute Gwangju FC defence as their best chances came from balls into the box which the home side seemed fairly comfortable to deal with.
A brilliant start to the campaign for Gwangju FC as they kick off where the left off last season where they finished 3rd in the K-League 1 and secured AFC Champions League Elite football this term as there seems to be no hangover. They score two goals and keep a clean sheet on the opening day of the season against an FC Seoul who have high aspirations themselves this campaign having recruited a new coach in Kim Gi-Dong and former Manchester United and England International, Jesse Lingard as their marquee player. FC Seoul brought a tremendous away support who kept singing until the final whistle but their side never delivered on the pitch and I’m sure it will take Kim Gi-Dong time to get his message across but results will need to pick up quickly if they have aspirations to finish in the top six, potentially push for the Champions League places, and look to go far in the Korea Cup. The only positive in the match in FC Seoul’s point of view is the fact that Jesse Lingard got minutes in his legs as he looks to build his way back to full fitness having spent a prolonged period without a club.
Up next for Gwangju FC is another home game next Sunday the 10th of March where they will look to build on this great performance and start their campaign off with a bang by potentially making it two wins from two against relegation threatened Gangwon FC and the game itself is set for a 4:30pm kick-off (KST).
Up next for FC Seoul is their first home match of the season where they will host a tough match against Incheon United at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday the 10th of March and the game is set for a 4pm kick-off (KST). Kim Gi-Dong will be hoping for a far better performance in front of their home support as they look to get their campaign up and running after a dismal opening day defeat.
Gwangju FC: Kim Kyeong-Min, Doo Hyeon-Seok, Ahn Young-Kyu (Byeon Jun-Soo 82’), Alexandar Popovic, Kim Jin-Ho, Gabriel Tigrao, Choi Kyoung-Rok (Park Tae-Joon 65’), Jeong Ho-Yeon, An Hyeok-Joo (Eom Ji-Sung 23’), Lee Kun-Hee (Yool Heo 82’), Lee Heui-Kyun (Oh Hye-Seong 65’). Subs not used: Jun Lee, Kim Seung-Woo, Lee Kang-Hyeon, Kim Han-Gil.
FC Seoul: Choi Cheol-Won, Park Dong-Jin (Lee Tae-Seok 65’), Kwon Wan-Kyu, Kim Ju-Sung, Kim Jin-Ya, Han Seung-Gyu, Ki Sung-Yueng, Kang Seong-Jin (Lim Sang-Hyub 65’), Aleksandar Palocevic, Cho Young-Wook (Kim Kyeong-Min 46’ Jesse Lingard 77’), Kim Shin-Jin (Stanislav Iljutcenko 46’). Subs not used: Baek Jong-Beom, Rebin Sulaka, Paik Sang-Hoon, Ryu Jae-Moon.
Referee: Park Byung-Jin
Reporter: Pearse McLaughlin
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