Highlights from Saturday's double-header in Gyeonggi | OneFootball

It started in Siheung and concluded in Suwon. But that's not where the S's end. Jeonbuk scored six on Saturday and their new hero, the diminutive Seung-woo, notched the game's most spectacular goal.

Match 1: Siheung Citizen 1-0 Changwon City FC

K3 League

Several hours before kick-off, I got some unexpected news from a familiar name in these parts. Ansan Greeners' fan Mike Brandon warned me Siheung Citizen FC were not playing their home games in Jeongwang Stadium this season. That ground, it appears, is being redeveloped with a promotion in mind when the Korean football pyramid opens, supposedly, in 2026.

Siheung are currently top of K3 so the club is backing up their grand plans off the pitch with a title-challenging one on the field. The match would take place in Hope Park Stadium (that's not what they call it in Korea). I was intrigued by the wrong information on Futbology. It seems the owners are disappointed by the lack of growth in Korea, yet one wonders why when there are errors like this too often.

Anyway, having made the alteration to their app, I headed to Hui Mang Park Stadium, buried in an industrial wasteland near the Siheung-Incheon border. Even accounting for Pohang and Jeonnam, this stadium's (if you can call it that) location is like nothing I've seen before. The pitch is in a park between two small streams; the Gun-ja cheon and the Ok-gu cheon. These streams then empty into the bay near Daebu-do.

A familiar sight on the road to Hope Park.All photos from Instagram.com/griundhopkoreafc

It was the Saturday before Cheusok and most of the factories were closed. The roads were quiet. Some buildings were derelict. The trees here don't see much sunlight, hidden alongside the factory walls. Giant white bags at every corner were used to keep the swept-up leaves already falling from trees. This was not an area worthy of hosting the K3 league leaders, even temporarily.

But then a rare green oasis appears amongst the concrete. Hope Park is small; around 580 meters from side to side on the long end. There are two football pitches that, uniquely, share the same stand. There are basically a few hundred seats on both sides, facing one of the two pitches. The club erected steel bleachers to cater to the demand but there wasn't enough shade so most of the supporters watched from the grass banks around the field. And there, too, is where I stood.

Siheung won 1-0, thanks to an early goal from the Brazilian Camilio. Changwon City, who made the long journey north for a 2pm start in the blazing sun, were comprehensively outplayed. It was the heaviest 1-0 victory I can remember seeing. Their 24-year-old goalkeeper, Lim Chae-hoon, pulled two incredible saves in added-on time. The game was broadcast on the K3 website. It is unlikely too many people will ever see the spectacular gymnastics he pulled off to keep the score down to one.

Fans seek shelter from the sun at Hope Park.

As I left the stadium, our old friend Mike asked me what I thought of the ground. Mike has been a well-spoken critic of opening up the pyramid on the basis of the financial implications for second tier clubs and he laid out his points very succinctly in a recent podcast with Matthew Binns. There are other issues. As the Bluewings' hopes of promotion fade by the week, it is looking more likely they will be a K League 2 club again next season. You couldn't even imagine 50 of their fans at this stadium, let alone 5,000.

[LISTEN: The Ansan podcast and what would relegation mean?]

But this isn't Siheung's home stadium. I'm in favor of relegation promotion (via a play-off) if the K3 ground passes certain requirements. This ground wouldn't; hopefully, their original home in Jeongwang does. However, I do agree with Mike that the decision-making appears too rushed. And what happens to K League 2 clubs relegated to K3, playing the likes of Yeoju Citizen and Gyeongju? Unless measures are put into place to protect them, some will likely go under.

In the car park, six men from South Asia wore Ansan cricket uniforms. At a baseball field next to the bus stop, I saw cricket stumps in the ground. As if to further emphasize the point above that watching a match at Hope Park is unusual, this was it. Welcome to Cricket Country.

Match 2: Suwon FC 0-6 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

K League 1

To keep the cricket references alive for one more minute.....Suwon hit for six by jolly Jeonbuk.

This was the strangest game I've seen all season. In one sense, 6-0 completely flatters Jeonbuk, but you could argue they should have scored seven....eight.....nine.....you get the point. According to the K League app, Suwon FC enjoyed 51% of the possession, won more corners, and had only three shots less on target; yet they were utterly dismantled on the scoreboard. Jeonbuk averaged 35% possession in the second half en route to scoring five of their goals.

Party time in the Jeonbuk section.

A simplistic way of looking at the match is this; Suwon fell behind in the 17th minute thanks to former player Lee Yeong-jae. That's how it stayed to the break. Then, seven minutes after the restart, Song Min-kyu's elaborate run-up was almost punished by the keeper but his penalty snuck in. With over 30 minutes still to play, Suwon FC, still in the title hunt, basically went for it. And in doing so, they were picked off. Ripped to shreds on the counter. Jeonbuk managed four, but it should have been more.

To rub a kilo of salt into the wounds, Lee Seung-woo came off the bench at 2-0. The darling of Castle Park was back in the other team's colors. He set up the third for Andrigo, somehow cutting back from the byline when the chance appeared to be lost. And then he scored the 5th; a stunning curling effort with the inside of his right foot. The exiting Suwon fans were serenaded to the doors by chants in honor of their former hero.

Former Bluewing forward Jeon Jin-woo scored the fourth, his first since leaving South Suwon for Jeonju. Pushed to solo celebrate in front of the away fans, Jeon faced the crowd, pointed to his crest, and kissed it. I highly doubt such a gesture went down well across town, as Suwon see Jeonbuk as a major rival. But then the Bluewings were losing at home to Cheonan City FC for the second time this campaign; they have too many problems to care about a former star.

The goalscoring was wrapped up in the 94th minute when a third substitute, Hernandes, formerly of 12-placed Incheon United, scored the sixth. Hernandes and Lee nearly combined for a seventh a minute later, but the assistant raised his flag for offside. The only thing that kept Suwon from conceding more was the clock. It was a lot of fun watching a team on a complete tear, with every venture into the opposition half likely to end in a goal.

But my ticket was free, and supplied by a member of the Suwon playing staff. As the Jeonbuk fans to my right went wild, it was difficult not to feel a tinge of sadness for the home players and support. From the severe threat of relegation in 2023 to an improbable title challenge in 2024, this has been an incredible season for Suwon. Top 6 should be a lock but that means the games will be more difficult. It could be a rough end to the campaign for a small squad.

Lee Seung-woo warms up with his new teammates.

At the final whistle, the Jeonbuk fans waited. They waited over 30 minutes. The match-day stewards knew this and opted against ejecting them. Their team had already come and celebrated in front of them. Well, most of the team. Lee Seung-woo was first interviewed on TV, then by a lady in a hanbok, and then he met the Suwon FC squad. After that, he and Lee Yeong-jae visited the home fans and bowed. Then more conversations on the halfway line.

The clock was approaching 10 pm and the journey back to Jeonju was likely to be long. But their moment arrived. Lee and Lee jumped, arm in arm, in front of the away fans. It was a great way to end the day. From the stands above, fans threw scarves at the players. They had enough to start a mini-collection by the end. Then it was over. Korea truly is a great spot for a double-header Saturday.