The Pohang Steelers have embraced the FA Cup again in 10 years. It is a big gift for himself this year, which marks its 50th anniversary.
Pohang beat Jeonbuk Hyundai 4-2 in the final of the 2023 Hana One Q FA Cup at Pohang Steel Yard on the 4th. As a result, Pohang won a ticket to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) in the 2024-2025 season with Ulsan Hyundai, which confirmed its K League 1 victory early. For now, the league and FA Cup champions are expected to go directly to the top level, ACLE, while the second place in the league is expected to head to the ACLE playoffs. The third place in the league is likely to go to ACL2, which is a lower grade.
It wasn't easy. Pohang, which lost a point to Jeonbuk Song Min-gyu in the 17th minute of the first half, balanced it with Han Chan-hee's equalizer in the 44th minute of the first half, but allowed Jeonbuk Gustavo a penalty kick (PK) goal in the 6th minute of the second half. But I focused until the end. Zeka tied the score again in the 29th minute of the second half, and Kim Jong-woo scored a come-from-behind goal four minutes later. In the 45th minute of the second half, when Jeonbuk was fighting back hard, Hong Yoon-sang scored a wedge goal, wowing more than 12,000 home fans.
It brought back pleasant memories of 10 years ago. At that time, Pohang beat Jeonbuk after a penalty shootout in the Jeonju Castle final and won its second consecutive FA Cup, and this year, it smiled broadly once again at its home turf. Pohang recorded the most wins with Jeonbuk and Suwon Samsung with its fifth FA Cup title (1996, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2023).
Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong said, "We have never doubted our victory. "I said let's win 4-2, but it really happened," he said with a big smile, and Kim Jong-woo, who won the MVP of the tournament with the winning goal, said, "It's the result of the players united to win the FA Cup after missing the league title."
Jeonbuk, with Gustavo (5 goals), the tournament's top scorer, challenged to win the most championships ever as the defending champion, but was hampered by the "Pohang Jinx." Jeonbuk has never beaten Pohang this season. In four matches in the league, the team was also far behind with one draw and three losses.
Jeonbuk has lost even its last chance to win the title, marking the first "season without a fight" in a long time. Jeonbuk, which boasts the most K-League wins (9 times), has won at least one trophy every year from 2014 to last year. He conquered the ACL in the 2016 season, when he was embroiled in a "judgment purchase" scandal, and succeeded in a "double" in the 2020 season when the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) hit. Last year, when he lost the league title to Ulsan, the "rival of the family," he also showed off his "winning DNA" by winning the FA Cup, but this season, which had not been solved since the opening, ended with an "empty hand."