By Pearse McLaughlin
Super sub–Jasir Asani’s late wonder strike snatches all three points for Gwangju FC as they win 1-0 away to Suwon Samsung Bluewings on their return to K-League 1 action.
Lee Byung-Keun has changed formation since Suwon Samsung Bluewings last competitive match against FC Anyang in the K-League 1 play off 2nd leg. He has also tweaked his formation from his traditional 4-4-2 formation and has gone with 4-2-3-1 to try and gain a little bit more control in the middle of the park. There are also debuts for the Cheong-Baek-Jeok hands full debuts to Kim Joo-Chan, Kim Bo-Kyung, and Rodrigo Bassani.
Gwangju FC has also changed their formation since their last competitive match against Asan in their final K-League 2 fixture which saw them crowned as champions. That day Lee Jung-Hyo played the 3-5-2 formation but has switched it up today and went more attacking 4-4-2 formation. There was a full debut handed to new Brazilian signing Thomas who joined on a free from Chapecoense.
First big chance of the game fell the visitor’s way on the 6th minute as Sandro Lima failed to guide his unmarked header on target. It was great initial play by Lee Heui-Kyun who showed terrific skill with a cheeky wee nutmeg on Kim Tae-Hwan but followed that skill with a terrific bit of pace to breeze past his marker down the left flank and teases an inch perfect cross into the box for the unmarked Sandro who somehow couldn’t direct and stoop his header on target. Absolute sitter. Should be 1-0 to Gwangju FC.
First meaningful chance for Suwon Samsung Bluewings came on the 34th minute as new signing Maxwell Acosty plays a delicious ball into the box which is met brilliantly by Kim Bo-Kyung on the full volley as he opens his left foot and tries to use the pace of the cross to guide it into the bottom corner. But is denied brilliantly by Kim Kyeong-Min who parries the ball away from danger. Gwangju well and truly hanging on here.
Half time and it remains a stalemate with very few clear cuts chances been created by both sides as it has been a first half marred by fouls and stoppages. The creative spark for Gwangju FC is Eom Ji-Sung who has the pace and trickery to get away from his full back and has been fouled constantly. Maxwell Acosty has been the danger man for Suwon Samsung Bluewings since coming off the bench to replace the injured Kim Joo-Chan with his turn of pace, skill, and final ball into the box.
A mere 14 seconds into the second half and Suwon Samsung Bluewings are a whisker away from the breaking the deadlock courtesy of Kim Bo-Kyung who ghosted in at the far post but saw his effort somehow go wide of the target when it looked harder to miss. It was a dangerous cross that was fizzed across the box by Substitute Maxwell Acosty in the first place, the defenders couldn’t deal with it and saw it go through to the back post where Kim Bo-Kyung’s sliding effort wasn’t enough to divert the cross over the line. It somehow remains 0-0.
With quarter of an hour left on the clock, the ball breaks for the lively Maxwell Acosty as debut boy Rodrigo Bassani tried to shoot on the edge of the box but was tackled by Gwangju FC captain Lee Soon-Min. His curling effort was goal bound and tipped behind expertly by Kim Kyeong-Min who has been immense today. There is an appeal for a penalty and after a lengthy VAR check by the officials the decision stands and the verdict is no penalty.
Five minutes later and Suwon Samsung Bluewings think they have broken the deadlock with one of the sauciest chips you are likely to see courtesy of Kim Bo-Kyung but unfortunately for him he moved a fraction too early and is offside.
With just 3 minutes left of normal time and nearly a wonder strike by Gwangju FC captain Lee Soon-Min tried to take matters into his own hands and tries a curling effort from 30 yards from goal. He found himself in a central position and his curling effort didn’t have enough bend on the ball as his effort went a whisker wide of the right-hand post.
The deadlock is broken on the 89th minute by the visitors as super sub-Jasir Asani is played through by Jeong Ho-Yeon down the left-hand side of Suwon’s box before unleashing an unstoppable effort. Asani takes a touch before cannoning his left footed wonder strike off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net. An emphatic finish and what a way to endear yourself to your new fans. 1-0 to Gwangju FC.
It's all over here at the Suwon World Cup Stadium as Gwangju’s big money signing Jasir Asani from Varda for a fee of 700,000 euros comes off the bench to grab a dramatic winner for his new side. The first half was stop start at times but that could not be said about the second half as there was chances for both sides to win it and it was end-to-end at times. Tricolor’s best opportunity of scoring came just 14 seconds after the restart, but Kim Bo-Kyung squirmed his opportunity. Although Suwon Samsung did have the ball in the back of the net courtesy of a delicate chip over the keeper and into the back of the net by Kim Bo-Kyung but he was half a hard offside.
Next up for Suwon Samsung Bluewings is an away trip to Jeonju next Sunday the 5th of March to face record champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors who themselves narrowly lost in today’s early kick off 2-1 away to reigning champions Ulsan Hyundai. It will be an intriguing encounter with both sides aiming to bounce back from opening day defeats. Next up for Gwangju FC is a match at home against FC Seoul who themselves won on opening day 2-1 against Incheon United. Both sides will be looking for more of the same when they play each other next Sunday the 5th of March.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings: Yang Hyung-Mo, Kim Tae-Hwan, Ko Myeong-Seok, Dave Bulthuis, Lee Ki-Je, Lee Jong-Sung (Yu Je-Ho 86’), Ko Seung-Beom, Kim Joo-Chan (Maxwell Acosty 24’), Rodrigo Bassani, Kim Bo-Kyung (Jeon Jin-Woo 72’), An Byong-Jun. Subs not used: Park Ji-Min, Jang Ho-Ik, Park Dae-Won, Lee Sang-Min
Gwangju FC: Kim Kyeong-Min, Doo Hyeong-Seok, Ahn Young-Kyu (Aaron Calver 66’), Lee Min-Gi, Lee Heui-Kyun, Jeong Ho-Yeon, Lee Soon-Min, Eom Ji-Sung (Ha Seung-Un 71’), Thomas (Jasir Asani 66’), Sandro Lima (Yool Heo 66’). Subs not used: Jun Lee, Lee Sang-Gi, Park Han-Bin.
Reporter: Pearse McLaughlin
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