Two teams will be decided to reach the final of the Korea Cup, which will determine the strongest domestic soccer team, both professional and amateur.
The second round of the semifinals of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup will take place on Sunday. Ulsan HD, which aims to regain its top position for the first time in seven years, will face Gwangju FC at 7 p.m. at the Ulsan Munsu Stadium, while Pohang Steelers, which is seeking its sixth career championship, will face off with Jeju United at 7:30 p.m. at Pohang Stillyard.
The Korea Cup, including the final, will be played in a single match, with only the semifinals being played in a home-and-away manner.
Ulsan is the team that has an advantageous position in advancing to the finals.
Ulsan defeated Gwangju 1-0 with Yago’s winning goal in the 10th minute of the second half in the first round of the Korea Cup semifinal match held at Gwangju Football Stadium on Sunday. Ulsan can advance to the final stage if it secures at least a draw in the second round match, which has home advantage.
Ulsan, a renowned player who won four K League 1 titles, failed to display strong performance at the Korea Cup. It was the only championship that won the trophy in 2017.
However, Ulsan has displayed strong performance in the Korea Cup this year. It beat Gyeongnam FC in the round of 16, Incheon United in the round of 8, and Gwangju FC in the first round of the semifinals.
Ulsan’s troubleshooter is Yago, who joined during the summer transfer market.
The two teams will play “three consecutive games” through the first and second rounds of the Korea Cup semifinals and the 28th round of the K League 1, with Ulsan winning two games first. Ulsan made Gwangju cry with Yago’s winning goal in both the first round of the Korea Cup semifinals on the 21st and the 28th round of the K League 1 on the 25th.
Yago, who had difficulty adapting in the early days of his transfer to Ulsan, proved his value with high-purity determination in the match against Gwangju, and will now start hunting for goals for the third consecutive game.
Gwangju, which advanced to the semifinals of the Korea Cup for the first time since its foundation, is aiming to advance to the final. “I will make a miracle in Ulsan by pouring everything that the players have,” Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo said.
Pohang and Jeju drew 2-2 in the first leg. Pohang was revived by Jung Jae-hee’s dramatic equalizer in stoppage time in the second half, and Jeju missed the catch. 안전놀이터
Both teams have shown poor performance lately. In the K League 1, Pohang is on the decline with four consecutive losses and Jeju is on the decline with three consecutive losses. The two teams aim for two birds with one stone: advancing to the finals and escaping winless.
Meanwhile, the final match of the Korea Cup will be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 30.