Jeju United Vs Seongnam Ilhwa Preview

Seongnam Ilhwa Vs Jeju United - 3pm, Sunday, 30th August 2009 (Jeju Athletics Stadium)

Jeju will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to nine league games by beating Seongnam in a play-off six pointer. The islanders have an atrocious record against Seongnam however will take comfort from the fact that the visitors have won just one away game all season.

Seongnam traditionally occupy the upper echolons of the K-League but have had a poor season by their standards. Whilst in recent weeks they have shown signs of improvement, in their last K-League outing they were surprisingly beaten at home by Daejeon Citizen - a poor result for the play-off challengers.

Whilst being unpredictable, Seongnam still have plenty of quality and Jeju will need to play at their best if they are to take the three points. A win though could move them up to 4th in the table and seven points clear of the visitors.

Previous meetings:
Jeju have a dismal record against Seongnam in the K-League – they have failed to win and only achieved two draws in the last 3 years:

26th April 2009 - Seongnam Ilhwa 2-0 Jeju United
23rd Aug 2008 – Seongnam Ilhwa 0-0 Jeju United
29th Mar 2008 – Jeju United 0-3 Seongnam Ilhwa
8th Aug 2007 – Seongnam Ilhwa 2-0 Jeju United
10th Mar 2007 – Jeju United 1-2 Seongnam Ilhwa
29th Oct 2006 – Seongnam Ilhwa 3-3 Jeju United
5th May 2006 – Jeju United 0-1 Seongnam Ilhwa

TEAM NEWS
Coming Soon

Keep an eye out for:
Australia born Saša Ognenovski (4) joined Seongam over the winter and has since been called up to the Macedonian national squad.

Cho Dong Keon (18)has scored five goals this season and made his debut for the Korean national team this summer against Paraguay.

Mauricio Molina (11) is a regular in the Colombian national team.
Goalkeeper Jung SungRyong (1) is a regular in the Korean national team.

Bet365.com Odds
Jeju - 13/8 (2.62)
Draw - 11/5 (3.20)
Seongnam - 6/4 (2.50)

Jeju avenge Peace Cup defeat to extend unbeaten run to eight league matches.

Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 1-2 Jeju United

Highlights video: http://www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer Only)

After two disappointing 0-0 draws against Gyeongnam and Daegu, Jeju resumed their challenge for a play-off position with a superb 2-1 victory at Ulsan. The result leaves the islanders in seventh position, four points clear of Seongnam in 8th. With early season high flyers Gwangju in apparent free fall, United will be becoming more and more confident that they can secure a shock top six finish.

Cho Jin Su started for Ulsan against his old club and should have put his new club in front early on when he was left unmarked ten yards out. Fortunately for Jeju the striker entirely missed the ball and fell to the ground in the process. Jeju breathed a sigh of relief.

It was the visitors though who enjoyed the bulk of possession and a deserved lead arrived on 14 minutes with Oh Seung Beom drove home a superb shot from 25 yards in to the far corner of the net. Goalkeeper Kim Young Kwang was powerless as he watched the ball go in.

With chances few and far between the half looked to be heading towards a 1-0 finish, yet Oveira had other plans when with a superb piece of skill on 35 minutes he found himself one on one with the goalkeeper, whom he calmly slotted the ball over. It was a superb effort which gave Jeju a 2 goal half time lead.

The second half was a dull affair with Jeju sitting back and defending. Ulsan struggled to find a way past Jeju's impressive defence and only managed to do so deep in to injury time when Lee Jin Ho headed home a late cross. By this stage it was too late for the home side and Jeju eased to a comfortable victory.

With a fully fit squad available Jeju have gone eight games unbeaten. The next match on Sunday will be key as the islanders welcome Seongnam to Jeju Athletics Stadium in a play-off six pointer. Should Jeju take the three points they will become favourites to clinch a top six finish. Whatever happens though, United should enjoy a higher finish than last season's tenth position.

K-League Table

Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
01 FC Seoul 19 12 3 4 34 17 17 39
02 Pohang 19 8 9 2 33 22 11 33
03 Jeonbuk 18 9 5 4 36 24 12 32
04 Incheon 18 8 6 4 22 21 1 30
05 Gwangju 19 9 2 8 25 19 6 29
06 Chunnam 18 7 6 5 31 30 1 27
--------------------------------------------
07 Jeju 19 7 6 6 18 21 -3 27
08 Seongnam 18 6 5 7 21 21 0 23
09 Gangwon 18 6 5 7 32 35 -3 23
10 Daejeon 19 5 8 6 19 23 -4 23
11 Busan 19 5 6 8 24 27 -3 21
12 Suwon 19 5 6 8 16 20 -4 21
13 Ulsan 19 4 7 8 21 24 -3 19
14 Gyeongnam 19 3 10 6 15 21 -6 19
15 Daegu 19 1 6 12 14 36 -22 9

August Update

After a long summer vacation I'm finally getting back in to the swing of things, normal service will be resumed from Monday with a report on Jeju United's game at Ulsan. From then on there will be full previews and match reports from all Jeju's remaining games this season.

United are now seven league games unbeaten. The side will be worried however by their inability to score goals as both league games this month against 14th placed Gyeongnam and bottom of the table Daegu have ended 0-0.

Highlights Videos (Internet Explorer Only)
Gyeongnam FC V Jeju United
Jeju United V Daegu FC

K-League Table
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
01 FC Seoul 18 11 3 4 31 17 14 36
02 Jeonbuk 17 9 5 3 35 21 14 32
03 Pohang 18 7 9 2 30 21 9 30
04 Gwangju 18 9 2 7 24 17 7 29
05 Incheon 17 7 6 4 20 20 0 27
06 Chunnam 17 6 6 5 29 29 0 24
--------------------------------------------
07 Jeju 18 6 6 6 16 20 -4 24
08 Seongnam 17 6 5 6 20 19 1 23
09 Gangwon 18 6 5 7 32 35 -3 23
10 Busan 18 5 6 7 23 24 -1 21
11 Suwon 18 5 6 7 15 18 -3 21
12 Daejeon 18 4 8 6 17 22 -5 20
13 Ulsan 18 4 7 7 20 22 -2 19
14 Gyeongnam 18 2 10 6 12 20 -8 16
15 Daegu 18 1 6 11 14 33 -19 9

Jeju United July Overview

Taken from my article in the Jeju Weekly at www.jejuweekly.com

Jeju United’s cup dreams shattered but league form excites

Jeju United’s punishing July schedule came to an end on Saturday with a pulsating 1-0 win over Suwon in Seogwipo. The result was sufficient to move the side into a play-off position in the top six of the league table. Despite now having gone five league games without defeat, the month has also held some disappointment as the club was eliminated from both the FA and Peace Cups.

On 15th July, United welcomed high flying Jeonbuk Hyundai to World Cup Stadium for their FA Cup quarter-final. Having already suffered a 5-0 home defeat at the hands of the side currently second in the K-League, Jeju was clearly nervous and was soon a goal down thanks to a Ha Dae-Sung strike. Things went from bad to worse when Lee Hyun-Seung made it two with United appearing to be heading out of the cup without a whimper. Just when it appeared to be all over, suddenly the home side started to attack with more purpose and pulled a goal back on 65 minutes thanks to Gu Ja-Cheol before Oveira scored an unlikely equalizer. It was a valiant fight back from Jeju who forced the game into extra-time. Unfortunately the team tired and appeared to lack the fitness levels necessary for 120 minutes of football. Jeonbuk’s superior players were able to take advantage of this as they finished the game 5-2 winners, clinching a place in the FA Cup semi finals.

Fanatical Jeju United fan Anna Montoya agreed that the side’s fitness levels were a key factor in the FA Cup defeat, stating that “Jeju started and finished the game sluggishly. They had a burst of energy after the first goal which raised their level of play enough to score the equalizer. The rain and humidity seemed to challenge their fitness level once we entered overtime.”

Jeju then had a mountain to climb if it was to qualify for the semi-finals of the Peace Cup (also known as the Korean League Cup). On July 22nd, the side entered the second leg of its quarter final against Ulsan needing a victory of two goals or more after having lost the first leg 1-0 in Seogwipo. Victory was always going to be difficult, however the club will have been disappointed to have lost the game 4-1, going out of the cup 5-1 on aggregate.

United will now be concentrating solely on the K-League and has ended the month on an impressive run of form winning both of their final two league games in July. Jeju secured a shocking 1-0 win at third position Gwangju Sangmu and then beat Suwon at home by a similar score to secure a top six position. This will qualify Jeju for this year’s play-offs if they can hold on to it.

Hardcore Jeju United fan Robin Burgess was cautious yet optimistic about the club’s prospects, saying: “if we can keep getting results when not playing particularly well against opposition who create more than us (Busan springs to mind!) then we've definately got a chance at making the playoffs. But as its such a tight and unpredictable league its far from guaranteed. A few more people making attacking runs INTO the box, rather than round it, couldn’t hurt our chances either.”

One thing is for certain as Jeju enter the final half of the season – every match is going to be vital.

Highlights Videos (Internet Explorer Only)

Jeju United V Jeonbuk (FA Cup)

Jeju United V Chunnam (K-League)

Gwangju V Jeju United (K-League)

Ulsan V Jeju United (Peace Cup QF 2nd Leg)

Jeju United V Suwon (K-League)

Gone on holiday!

Will be back July 28th with a full update.

You can keep up with K-League news at kleague.com, jeju-utd.com, forum.rokfootball.com and also at the Jeju United Facebook group.

Hwaiting!

Jeju face uphill struggle to reach Peace Cup semi finals.

Jeju United 0-1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i

Highlights Video: Coming soon

Both sides struggled in humid conditions as Ulsan beat Jeju by a single goal in Seogwipo Wednesday night. It was a poor game with very little in the way of incident and goal opportunities.

The result means Jeju will need to win in Ulsan if they are to reach the semi finals of the Peace Cup - a tough proposition but certainly possible.

Jeju United V Ulsan Hyundai preview (Peace Cup quarter finals first leg)

Jeju United Vs Ulsan - 7pm, Wednesday, 8th July 2009 (Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo)

Jeju's busy month continues as they welcome Ulsan to Seogwipo for the first leg of the Peace Cup quarter finals.

United are on an excellent run of form and have a chance of causing an upset in this tie. Ulsan have struggled so far this season however have a squad which is not short on quality.

With the Peace Cup not exactly a priority for either side, this tie will be decided by which team wants the victory more.

Second leg will be played in Ulsan on 22nd July.

Team News

Arthur Bernardes is likely to rest a few players for this game, but expect him to name a relatively strong side.

Keep an eye out for:
Popular striker from last season Cho Jin Soo (22) left Jeju to join Ulsan over the winter.

Brazilian Luizinho (10) has averaged almost a goal every 2 games since coming to Korea in 2007. His compatriot Almir (7) has scored five goals in the K-League already this season.
Slavčo Georgievski (6) joined Ulsan this winter and has played for the Macedonian national side. He made an appearance in Macedonia's 1-0 victory over Scotland in August 2008.

Previous meetings

Jeju have lost their last three consecutive games against Ulsan, however they have picked up some victories over the last few years.

April 18 2009: Jeju United 0-1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i
September 28 2008: Jeju United 0-1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i
May 5 2008: Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 2-1 Jeju United
September 15 2007: Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 2-2 Jeju United FC
May 5 2007: Jeju United FC 2-1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i
October 14 2006: Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 2-2 Jeju United FC
April 16 2006: Jeju United FC 3-0 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i

Jeju beat Ulsan 2-1 at home on July 9th 2006 in the Hauzen Cup. In 2007 the side lost 1-0 in Ulsan but secured a 0-0 draw in the home game.

Bet365.com odds
Jeju 17/10 (2.70)
Draw 11/5 (3.20)
Ulsan 13/10 (2.30)

Difficult draw for Jeju in the FA Cup quarter finals

Jeju United will play Jeonbuk at home in the FA Cup quarter finals. It will be a tough game for Jeju who suffered a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to the same opposition back in May. Its not all doom and gloom for Jeju though as they did beat Jeonbuk 1-0 in the Peace Cup earlier this season and now have a fully fit squad to choose from.

FA Cup Quarter Final Draw

Daegu V Daejeon
Suwon V Chunnam
Seongnam V Pohang
Jeju V Jeonbuk

Ties are to be played 15th July with Jeju's fixture likely to kick off at 7pm in Seogwipo. Details will be confirmed as they are announced.

Last gasp Jeju in six goal thriller

Incheon United 3-3 Jeju United

Highlights video: http://www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer Only)

Alternative match report: http://forum.rokfootball.com

A superb long range effort from Ricardo in injury time secured Jeju a well earned point in a topsy turvy game at Incheon World Cup Stadium. The result marked the fourth consecutive K-League draw for matches between the two sides in Incheon.

The first half didn't provide any clues to the excitement ahead as the first goal didn't arrive until the 40th minute. Caught between two Jeju defenders and goalkeeper Kim Song Min, Yoo Byung Soo was adjudged to have been brought down in the area. The striker promptly got up to convincingly put away the penalty, his sixth goal of the season.

The scoreline was harsh on Jeju however they came back with a bang in the second half. Oveira scored the equaliser for the visitors with a superb individual effort on 53 minutes. Seven minutes later Bang Seung Hwan gave Jeju the lead when he was bizarrely given time in the six yard box to control and shoot the ball. It was abysmal defending from Incheon who had four defenders all of whom could have put in a challenge.

Whilst Jeju had taken the lead, the home side were still threatening and it was perhaps unsurprising when they equalised on 66 minutes to make the score 2-2. It was a superb 25 yard strike from new signing Koroman which did it, a goal that will live long in the memory of the Serbian striker.

Both sides pushed for the winner and Incheon thought they had clinched it on 81 minutes when Im Jung Yong shot home from ten yards. There was a strong hint of handball though from both the goalscorer and Yoo Byung Soo and Jeju can feel aggrieved that the goal was allowed.

Whilst Incheon thought they had won it, they were not counting on Ricardo to equalise deep in to injury time with a long distance free kick. Whilst it was a good shot, Incheon keeper Kim Lee Sub should really have done better and made a save. It was a piece of good luck which Jeju deserved having put in an excellent performance at a side who has only lost twice in the league this year.

Jeju find themselves in 9th place in the K-League, just four points off a play-off position and with some winnable fixtures coming up. Next game is on Wednesday night against Ulsan in the Peace Cup and is followed by a match in Seogwipo saturday night against Chunnam.

Incheon United V Jeju United Preview

Incheon United V Jeju United - 7pm, Saturday 4th July 2009 (Incheon World Cup Stadium)

In form striker Bang Seung Hwan returns to his former club on Saturday as Jeju look to move in to a play off position. The match won't be easy though as Incheon are currently in 4th place having only lost two league games all season.

Whilst the Jeju squad will be tired after a long night of FA Cup football on Wednesday, the club is on a good run of form and should be optimistic that at least a draw can be secured from this match.

July is a busy month for the side as this game is followed by a Peace Cup quarter final against Ulsan on Wednesday and another league game versus Chunnam next weekend.

Previous Meetings
Jeju has failed to beat Incheon in the last six league matches between the two clubs. The islanders can take comfort though from the fact that they have taken a point on each of their last three visits to Incheon.

12th July 2008 - Incheon United 0-0 Jeju United
9th March 2008 - Jeju United 0-2 Incheon United
25th August 2007 - Incheon United 1-1 Jeju United
15th April 2007 - Jeju United 0-2 Incheon United
23rd September 2006 - Jeju United 2-3 Incheon United
2nd April 2006 - Incheon United 0-0 Jeju United

Team News
There are no major injury problems for Jeju at this time. Kang Min Su played the full 120 minutes in midweek against Gwangju and is likely to make another appearance this weekend.

Do Hwa Sung, Lee Jun Young and Yoon Won Il are all doubtful for Incheon.

Keep an eye out for:
Yoo Byung Soo (15) is Incheon's top goalscorer having scored five times so far this season. He has recently been called up to the Korean national team's squad.
New signing Ognjen Koroman (11) spent six months on loan at Portsmouth, scoring one goal against Liverpool during that time.

Bet365.com Odds
Incheon United - 8/11 (1.73)
Draw - 12/5 (3.40)
Jeju United - 16/5 (4.20)

Jeju reach FA Cup quarter finals

Jeju United 1-1 Gwangju Sangmu (Jeju win 4-3 on penalties)

Highlights video: http://www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer only)

Kang Min Su played the entire 120 minutes as Jeju qualified for the quarter finals of the 2009 FA Cup. The home side were unlucky not to have wrapped up the tie in ninety minutes, however a drop in concentration allowed the visitors to equalise in the final minute.

The first half was a particularly dull affair with chances few and far between. Bang Seung Hwan was the main threat, having one shot saved by Gwangju's Lee Jung Rae and seeing another one go over the bar. Gwangju rarely threatened and created no clear cut chances other than a Choi Jae Soo cross which was whipped menacingly across the Jeju six yard box. None of the visitor's forwards were close enough to convert the opportunity though and the ball went out for a goal kick.

The second half continued in a similar vein although both sides did appear a little more alert. Seo Min Gook came close for the visitors, but it was Bang Seung Hwan who scored the first goal of the game, giving Jeju the lead. An Oveira cross/shot was deflected by Lee Jung Rae straight in to the path of the United striker who couldn't miss with an open net from 4 yards.

Jeju were looking the better team but were still limited to speculative shots from long range. Just as it appeared the game was petering out in to a home win Gwangju ensured extra time would be played thanks to a 90th minute equaliser from Bae Hyo Sung who was left unmarked to head home a cross from the right.

Gwangju should have taken the lead in extra time when a Choi Jae Soo cross from 10 yards rolled agonisingly across the goal with striker Go Seul Ki coming to within inches of kicking the ball in to the empty net. Just moments later Gwangju were reduced to ten men when Choi Jae Soo was shown the red card. The visitors sat back for the rest of the game and played for penalties. Whilst having territorial advantage, Jeju were unable to find a winning goal.

It was Vieira who scored the winning spot kick for Jeju to ensure a 4-3 win in sudden death.

The quarter finals are scheduled for July 15th, with details yet to be confirmed.

Jeju United Vs Gwangju Sangmu Preview (FA Cup Second Round)

Jeju United Vs Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix - 7pm, Wednesday, 1st July 2009 (Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo)

Jeju and Gwangju will be battling for a place in the FA Cup quarter finals on Wednesday night in Seogwipo. The two sides have already met twice this season with Jeju winning on both occasions. Gwangju however find themselves top of the K-League and are likely to prove difficult opponents for the home side.

United have now won three consecutive home games and for the first time this season have a virtually fully fit squad. Jeju will be confident they will be able to continue their good run.

In the event of a draw thirty minutes of extra time will be played. If at the end of 120 minutes there is still no victor, the tie will be decided by penalties.

History is on Jeju's side as Gwangju are yet to win in Seogwipo:

15th March 2009 Jeju United 1 - 0 Gwangju Sangmu
26th October 2008 Gwangju Sangmu 1-0 Jeju United
May 24 2008 Jeju United 3-1 Gwangju Sangmu
August 28 2007 Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix 0-2 Jeju United FC
April 21 2007 Jeju United FC 1-1 Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix
October 21 2006 Jeju United 1-0 Gwangju Sangmu
April 22nd 2006 Gwangju Sangmu 2-0 Jeju United

The clubs have faced each other twice in the Hauzen Cup. Jeju managed a 1-0 in Seogwipo on May 14th 2006 when defender Lee Sang Ho grabbed the winner. United also recorded a superb 4-0 win earlier this season, a result which marked their 300th ever win.

Team News
Jeju are likely to field a strong side for this game with Arthur Bernardes continuing his counter-attacking style of play. Gwangju may well rest some key players as they did in the Peace Cup earlier in the season.

Keep an eye out for:
Choi Sung-Kuk (10) who has scored seven goals since joining from Seongnam. Kim Myung-Joong (7) is the club's top goal scorer on eight.
Midfielders Park Jin Ok (23) and Kim Tae Min (24) left Jeju over the winter to do their military service at Gwangju and may make an appearance.

Bet365.com Odds
Jeju 13/8 (2.62)
Draw 11/5 (3.20)
Gwangju 6/4 (2.50)

Byun Sung Hwan joins Sydney FC

Byun Sung Hwan has signed for Australian League side Sydney FC. The defender made sixteen appearances for Jeju in 2008. He formerly played for Ulsan Hyundai.

Whilst not being a regular in the Jeju United side last season he did appear regularly in the Hauzen Cup where he made the highest number of assists of any player in the tournament.

(photo from jeju-utd.com)

Jeju brave the humidity to beat Busan

Jeju United 2-0 Busan I Park

Highlights video: www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer only)

The hot and humid conditions weren't conducive to an exciting, fast paced game, however it was Jeju who had the greater energy. They were able to emerge victorious thanks to two goals in the last fifteen minutes from Cho Yong Hyung and Bang Seung Hwan.

A crowd of over 18,000 jammed in to the Jeju Athletics Stadium and witnessed a dull opening 75 minutes as both sides struggled to cope with the humidity and hot weather conditions. Of particular note was the return of Romulo who was the top goal scorer at Jeju last season. Whenever he touched the ball various "boos" and insults could be heard. Whether or not they had any effect on the player will remain unknown, however the Brazilian struggled to make a significant impact in the game and was substituted in the 51st minute. The former hero's only chance of note came on thirty seven minutes when he powered a shot from twelve yards straight at Kim Song Min who superbly parried the ball over the bar.

Jeju struggled to create chances throughout the game and often resorted to long balls aimed at Oveira. The striker did well on occasion but once again was caught offside more often that he should have been and did not receive adequate support from the Jeju midfield. Coach Arthur Bernardes will need to work on his midfield options as the side looks decidedly light weight in this area.

A goal came out of nothing with just fourteen minutes remaining when Cho Yong Hyung headed home a Choi Hyun Youn corner from twelve yards. A second goal was added by Bang Seung Hwan from the penalty spot after Oh Seung Bum was brought down in the area to give Jeju a convincing looking victory. In fact by the end of the game United could have scored four or five as Busan all but gave up. Lee Sang Ho in particular had an excellent long range effort in injury time saved by Choi Hyun.

The victory was made even sweeter by the five minute appearance of Kang Min Su who had been out injured for the last two months. He is likely to be eased back in to action over July and will be aiming to re-form his impressive defensive partnership with Cho Yong Hyung.

Jeju moved to within two points of a play-off place thanks to this victory and can look forward to Wednesday nights FA Cup game against Gwangju and next weekend's trip to Incheon United with confidence.


K-League Table

1 Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix 13 +12 29
2 FC Seoul 13 +9 26
3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 12 +12 24
------------------------------------------
4 Incheon United 12 +4 22
5 Gangwon FC 12 +4 19
6 Pohang Steelers 12 +2 16
==========================================
7 Chunnam Dragons 12 −3 16
8 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 12 −2 15
9 Jeju United 12 −6 14
10 Busan I'Park 13 −3 13
11 Gyeongnam FC 12 −3 13
12 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 12 −3 12
13 Daejeon Citizen 12 −6 11
14 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 12 −6 10
15 Daegu FC 13 −11 7

Jeju United V Busan I Park Preview

Jeju United V Busan I Park - 3pm, Sunday 28th June 2009 (Jeju Athletics Stadium, Jeju City)

Jeju's top scorer from last season Homulo makes his return to the Island on Sunday as Jeju face Busan I Park in the K-League.

Homulo is likely to get a mixed reception from the home fans who were dazzled by his performance on the field last year but less so by his performance off it.

The K-League is exceptionally close this year. If Jeju can win they will leap frog their opponents in to within touching distance of the Play-Offs. After an impressive but unsuccessful performance at FC Seoul last weekend, Jeju will be confident.

Previous Meetings
Jeju and Busan have been equally matched over recent years and the results of their games reflect this with both sides having picked up two wins and two draws from the last six games.

29th October 2008 - Busan I Park 3-0 Jeju United
12th April 2008 - Jeju United 1-1 Busan I Park
14th October 2007 - Jeju United 1-0 Busan I Park
4th March 2007 - Busan I Park 0-1 Jeju United
5th November 2006 - Jeju United 0-1 Busan I Park
10th May 2006 - Busan I Park 0-0 Jeju United

Team News
Coach Arthur Bernardes will be able to pick virtually a first choice side for this game. Defender Kang Min Su may also make an appearance after having been injured for the last two months.

Keep an eye out for:
All eyes will be on Romulo (11) who was top scorer for Jeju last season. He is likely to feature at some point in the match even if he doesn't start.
Jung Sung Hoon (9) has scored five goals so far this season.
Defenders Kim Chang Soo (27) and Lee Gang Jin (7) were both involved with the most recent South Korea squad alongside attacker Yang Dong Hyun (18).

Bet365.com Odds
Jeju United - 13/10(2.30)
Draw - 2/1 (3.00)
Busan I Park - 19/10 (2.90)

Superb Jeju denied by last gasp Seoul

FC Seoul 2-1 Jeju United

Highlights video: http://www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer only)

Jeju were just seven minutes away from a shock victory before late goals from Ko Myong Jin and Park Yong Ho allowed Seoul to snatch the three points. In an entertaining encounter arguments could be made that a draw, a Seoul win or a Jeju win would all have been fair results.

The onset of Korea's rainy season no doubt helped the players as the temperature was comfortable and the light drizzle was insufficient to majorly effect the game.

Both sides opened brightly, evidently refreshed after the international break. It was Jeju who created the first major opportunity on 8 minutes when Oh Seung Bum's long range pass played Oveira through on goal. Oveira promptly converted with a spectacular lob from 20 yards which looped over the keeper and in to the back of the net. Seoul World Cup Stadium went quiet as Jeju celebrated their shock lead.

FC Seoul dominated the entire game, however Jeju can take pride in the fact that they didn't sit back and defend - they kept launching counter attacks and created several opportunites. Oveira could have scored a second half way through the first half when once again he was played in on goal only to have his effort smothered by goalkeeper Kim Ho Jun.

Ultimately though the match will be remembered for FC Seoul's huge number of chances - one effort was cleared off the line, the woodwork was struck in both halfs and Han Dong Jin in the Jeju goal made a series of excellent saves.

Just as it had appeared Jeju had weathered the storm they were hit by a sucker punch when Ko Myong Jin scored from 20 yards. As both sides went for the victory it was FC Seoul who were successful as Park Yong Ho headed home the winner.

Jeju shouldn't be too downhearted though after an excellent counter attacking display which could on another day have led to three points. Whilst it could be said Han Dong Jin should have probably saved FC Seoul's two successful strikes, it would be unfair to criticise him after a series of excellent saves throughout the match.

Oveira once again looked strong up front, however needs to improve his positioning and reading of the game - he was caught offside more often than he should have been. His partnership with Bang Seung Hwan upfront did however look promising.

Next up is Busan on Sunday in Jeju City. If Jeju can put in another performance of this magnitude, they should be confident of getting the three points.

FC Seoul V Jeju United Preview

Jeju United V FC Seoul - 8pm, Saturday 20th June 2009 (Seoul World Cup Stadium)

Joint K-League leaders FC Seoul will enter Saturday's match as strong favourites. Underdogs Jeju are currently being given odds of 4/1 on picking up a shock three points.

Both sides will come in to the game refreshed after a three week break for internationals. Cho Young-Hyung returns to Jeju after being part of the South Korea squad which secured qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Jeju coach Arthur Bernardes has implemented a harsh training schedule for the side and will be hoping that this will improve the side's fitness and tactical awareness in this second half of the season.

Realistically, any kind of result would be a boost for Jeju. The main test will be over the next 7 weeks in which United have a run of seven winnable K-League games. It is these matches which will indicate whether or not Jeju have a chance of making the play-offs in November.

Previous Meetings

Jeju have an atrocious record against FC Seoul having drawn two and lost four of the last six league matches. Jeju will have to take confidence from last year's 2-0 victory at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the Peace Cup.

13th September 2008 - Jeju United 0-0 FC Seoul
20th April 2008 - FC Seoul 3-1 Jeju United
11th August 2007 - Jeju United 2-2 FC Seoul
18th March 2007 - FC Seoul 1-0 Jeju United
9th September 2006 - FC Seoul 1-0 Jeju United
25th March 2006 - Jeju United 0-3 FC Seoul

Team News

Kang Min Su is still suffering from injury and will miss the game. Gu Ja Cheol is suspended after having picked up three yellow cards.

Keep an eye out for:

Defender Kevin Hatchi (5) is a French defender signed from FC Mons in Belgium.
Midfielders Ki Sung Yong (21), Lee Chung Yong (27) and Kim Chi Woo (7)were all members of the recent South Korea national squad which secured qualification to the 2010 World Cup.
Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic (10) will be FC Seoul's main threat up front - he has already scored five goals this season.

Bet365.com Odds
FC Seoul - 4/7 (1.57)
Draw - 13/5 (3.60)
Jeju United - 4/1 (5.00)

Jeju United to face Ulsan Hyundai in Peace Cup quarter finals

Jeju United have been drawn against Ulsan in the quarter finals of the Peace Cup. The match will be played over two legs on the 8th and 22nd July.

Jeju have won just 2 of their last 7 games against Ulsan so will go in to the tie as underdogs.

Should United win they will reach the semi finals of the competition, to be played in August.

This year's Peace Cup winners will be presented with a cheque for 100,000,000 won, with the runners up getting 50,000,000 won.

The full draw:

Busan V Seongnam
Jeju V Ulsan
Seoul V Incheon
Pohang V Suwon

Jeju United to face Gwangju Sangmu in the FA Cup 2nd Round

Jeju United have been drawn at home to Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix in the FA Cup. Gwangju have performed well above expectations in the league this season, however Jeju will be confident after already having beaten the army side 1-0 and 4-1 this year.

Match will be held on 1st July and is likely to be held in Seogwipo at 7pm.

The full draw:

Busan V Suwon
Goyang V Pohang
Jeju V Gwangju
Daejeon V Kyunghee University
Chunnam V Gangwon
Gyeongnam V Daegu
Jeonbuk V FC Seoul
Seongnam V Jungang University

In the event of a draw, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, followed by a penalty shoot out if necessary.

Jeju reach Peace Cup quarter finals

Jeju United 1-0 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Highlights video: www.jeju-utd.com (Internet Explorer only)

Despite spending much of the second half with just ten men, Jeju United were victorious in an entertaining game at Jeju World Cup Stadium last night. With Jeonbuk needing to win by two or more goals in order to make the last eight of the Peace Cup, it was an open game which either side could have won.

The game was somewhat spoiled by the bizarre refereeing performance of Hong Jin-Ho. The referee booked Oveira for diving in the fifth minute although the Brazilian striker appeared to have been fouled. The referee ignored similar incidents in the Jeju penalty area. Mr Hong also harshly sent Ricardo off in the 53rd minute for a second bookable offence.

With Jeonbuk needing goals, the first half was open and entertaining with both sides threatening to break the deadlock. Shim Young-Sung should have broke the deadlock on seventeen minutes after a Ricardo pass beat the offside trap to play him in on goal. However the young attacker shot straight at the keeper, missing a chance he should have scored.

Jeonbuk's best chance of the half came on 39 minutes when Lee Dong-Guk whipped in a threatening cross which captain Lee Dong-Sik did just enough defensively to distract Ha Dae-Sung from converting. An entertaining first half came to an end with neither side having managed to get on the score sheet.

Jeju broke the deadlock just five minutes in to the second half with a deserved, albeit forunate, goal. Defender Lee Sang-Ho crossed low in to the penalty area from the left, with the ball hitting the foot of defender Kim Sang-Sik who deflected the ball in to the net. Goalkeeper Kwon Sun-Tae was wrong footed but made an admirable effort at making a save, however he couldn't reach the ball in time.

It was pretty much game over at that point as Jeonbuk knew they now needed to score three if they were to progress to the quarter finals. They did however continue to attack and were buoyed by the 53rd minute sending off of Ricardo. Luiz Enrique went close to scoring with a low 25 yard shot which just went wide. Aside from that Jeonbuk failed to create any clear cut chances.

The game finished 1-0 and as Group B winners, Jeju can now look forward to a two legged quarter final in July where they will face either FC Seoul, Suwon, Pohang or Ulsan.


Peace Cup Quarter Finalists:
FC Seoul, Suwon, Pohang, Ulsan, Jeju, Busan, Seongnam and Incheon.

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma	5	3	2	0	9	2	+7	11
2	Incheon United	5	2	2	1	6	6	0	8
3	Daegu FC	5	2	1	2	6	6	0	7
4	Chunnam Dragons	5	2	1	2	8	10	−2	7
5	Daejeon Citizen	5	2	0	3	4	7	−3	6
6	Gangwon FC	5	1	0	4	7	9	−2	3

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Jeju United FC	4	3	1	0	8	3	+5	10
2	Busan I'Park	4	2	2	0	7	3	+4	8
3	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	4	1	1	2	8	9	−1	4
4	Gyeongnam FC	4	1	1	2	4	6	−2	4
5	Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix	4	0	1	3	3	9	−6	1

Jeju United Vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Preview (Peace Cup)

Jeju United Vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors - 7pm, Wednesday, 27th May 2009 (Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo)

Jeju enter this match knowing that any result except a Jeonbuk victory by two or more goals will be sufficient to advance to the quarter finals of this season's Peace Cup.

Whilst normally this would make supporters confident of Jeju's chances, the humiliating 5-0 drubbing inflicted by Jeonbuk at the start of the month is still fresh in the memory. United have improved greatly over the course of the month though, and with the injury crisis easing, they will present a much harder proposition to Jeonbuk this time around.

Ultimately the match will be decided by how much the respective sides want to win this one. The Peace Cup is not a priority for Jeonbuk and will hopefully mean that they field a weakened team.

Previous meetings:
Jeju have a poor record against Jeonbuk in the K-League – they have only achieved one win and a draw in the last 3 years having lost 5 games in the process:

2nd May 2009 - Jeju United 0-5 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

5th Oct 2008 – Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-1 Jeju United
10th May 2008 – Jeju United 0-1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
10th Oct 2007 – Jeju United 2-2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
16th June 2007 – Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-1 Jeju United
30th Aug 2006 – Jeju United 2-1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
18th March 2006 – Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-1 Jeju United

Jeju's record isn't much better in the Korean League Cup either, having suffered two defeats in the last three games.

25th April 2007 - Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1-0 Jeju United

14th March 2007 - Jeju United 2-0 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

29th July 2006 - Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-0 Jeju United

TEAM NEWS
Jeju are likely to field a strong side for this game. The squad is well rested due to not having played this past weekend.

High scoring Jeonbuk will be without the injured Eninho and the suspended Lim You-Hwan.

Keep an eye out for:
Winger Choi Tae-Uk (11) has scored five times already this season. He has made 28 appearances for the Korean national side, scoring a total of four goals.

Striker Lee Dong-Guk (20) is a veteran of the Korean national side having scored 22 goals in 71 internationals. He has already scored six times this season.

Brazilian Luiz Enrique (10) has also scored four goals for Jeonbuk this season.

Midfielder Kim Sang-Sik (4) is the club captain and has also played over 50 games for his country.

25 year old forward Kim Hyung-Bum (9) is a renowned free kick taker having scored 11 already in his career which is a record for the K-League.

Defender Lee Yo-Han (14) played 17 games for Jeju in the 2007 season.

Bet365.com Odds
Jeju Utd - 21/10 (3.10)
Draw - 11/5 (3.20)
Jeonbuk - 11/10 (2.10)

Peace Cup standings

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma	4	2	2	0	7	2	+5	8
2	Incheon United	4	2	2	0	6	4	+2	8
3	Daejeon Citizen	4	2	0	2	4	5	−1	6
4	Daegu FC	4	1	1	2	4	6	−2	4
5	Chunnam Dragons	4	1	1	2	6	9	−3	4
6	Gangwon FC	4	1	0	3	6	7	−1	3

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Busan I'Park	4	2	2	0	7	3	+4	8
2	Jeju United FC	3	2	1	0	7	3	+4	7
3	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	3	1	1	1	8	8	0	4
4	Gyeongnam FC	3	0	1	2	3	6	−3	1
5	Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix	3	0	1	2	3	8	−5	1

Remaining fixtures:

Group A
Gangwon FC Vs Chunnam Dragons
Daejeon Citizen Vs Seongnam Ilhwa
Daegu FC Vs Incheon United

Group B
Gwangju Sangmu Vs Gyeongnam FC
Jeju United Vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors