# '개막 7년연속 무패' 전북, 수원과 균형 맞춘다 #

우충원 기자] '개막 7년연속 무패' 전북, 수원전 통해 균형 맞춘다.

하나원큐 K리그1 2020 개막전이 8일 전주월드컵경기장에서 챔피언 전북 현대와 FA컵 우승팀 수원 삼성의 맞대결로 펼쳐진다.

디펜딩 챔피언 전북과 FA컵 우승팀 수원의 경기는 공식 개막전이다. 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19)으로 미뤄졌던 개막전인 만큼 많은 관심을 끈다. K리그 첫 80골-80도움 고지를 앞둔 이동국과 염기훈이 펼치는 자존심 대결도 또 다른 관전 포인트다.

전북은 올 시즌을 준비하며 대대적으로 선수단에 변화가 생겼다. 로페즈, 문선민, 권경원 등이 팀을 떠났고 김보경-쿠니모토 등이 합류했다. 외국인 선수에 대한 부담이 크지만 전북은 여전히 위력적인 전력을 보유하고 있다.

전북은 개막전서 굉장한 기록을 갖고 있다. 2013년부터 2018년까지 개막전 6연승을 질주했다. 비록 지난해 대구FC와 비기면서 연승은 깨졌으나 7시즌 6승1무 무패라는 압도적인 성적을 자랑한다. 수원전도 자신 있다. 전북은 수원과의 최근 10경기에서 6승 3무 1패의 일방적인 우위를 점하고 있다.

따라서 전북은 이날 경기를 통해 승리를 거둔 후 균형의 추를 맞추겠다는 의지가 강하다.

수원은 지난해 K리그 무대에 데뷔하자마자 20골을 터뜨려 단숨에 득점왕에 등극한 타가트와 재계약하는 것에 성공했다. 올 시즌도 타가트는 수원의 핵심전력이다. 비록 지난시즌 파이널 라운드 B로 떨어진 수원이지만 올 시즌은 달라지겠다는 의지가 중요하다.

한국프로축구연맹의 방침에 따라 K리그는 무관중으로 시즌을 시작한다. 이에 관중석은 고요할 것으로 보이지만, 선수들이 그라운드 위에서 내뿜을 열기는 그 어느 때보다 뜨거울 것으로 보인다.

K리그는 당초 2월29일 개막할 예정이었으나 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 여파로 인해 2개월여 늦게 팬들을 찾게 됐다. 방역을 위해 당분간 K리그1·2 전 경기는 관중 없이 벌어진다.

한편 전북과 수원의 개막전은 중국, 호주, 독일 등 세계 17개국에 생중계된다. 지난해 12월 해외 중계권 사업자로 선정된 '스포츠레이더(Sportradar AG)'가 총 17개국에 송출되는 플랫폼에 중계권을 판매했다. / 10bird@osen.co.kr

[사진] 연맹 제공.

#Coronavirus: #K-League set for kick off as football finally resumes in #South Korea

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South Korea’s soccer league will kick off the season Friday, three days after the first pitch was thrown in baseball, in yet another sign that life in the country is starting to return to normal after strenuous efforts to contain the coronavirus.

The K-League had been scheduled to start Feb.29 but on that day there were 909 infections of the virus, the country’s highest daily total. After weeks of extensive testing and tracing, that number has fallen to single figures since mid-April.

Soccer authorities have regularly consulted with medical experts and were advised that if the number of new cases fell below 30 for two weeks, then the league season could start.

And so the action begins with defending champion Jeonbuk Motors facing Suwon Bluewings on Friday night in the southwestern city of Jeonju.

“Thanks to the hard work of the South Korean medical workers and the population’s active participation in social distancing, the league can start,” K-League President Kwon Oh-gap told the Associated Press. “Also, we appreciate that clubs and players have fully cooperated in the preparation process.”

There are restrictions, however. No fans will be allowed in stadiums, many which were built for the 2002 World Cup and have capacities of over 40,000. Although K-League officials are hopeful that this will change within weeks rather than months.

Friday night’s curtain raiser will be followed by three games on Saturday as Ulsan Horangi, runner-up in 2019, hosts Sangju Sangmu, Incheon United faces Daegu FC and Gwangju takes on Seongnam. The first round concludes Sunday with Pohang Steelers playing Busan I’Park and FC Seoul traveling to Gangwon FC.

For all South Korea’s success in containing the virus — the country has reported 10,810 cases of COVID-19 and 256 deaths — there is a recognition that new cases could surface at any time. The 12-team league, which paid for 1,100 test on players and staff at the end of April that all came back negative, has already been shortened from 38 rounds to 27. That number could be reduced further to 22 games if necessary.

“Our goal is to keep a close eye on the situation and finish the season without a problem,” Kwon said. “If there is a case of the virus in a team during the season, that team and any team they played against will be suspended for at least two weeks.”

With soccer around the world virtually shuttered amid the pandemic, the K-League, has sold international broadcasting rights to more than 10 countries.

Hong Jeong-ho, the South Korea and Jeonbuk defender, said it sets the stage for international and local fans to see the calibre of the K-League.

“We have the chance to let football fans from around the world know that there are many good players in out country if we perform to our best on the pitch,” Hong was quoted to say on the Asian Football Confederation’s website. “I feel even more grateful that I can play football and I realise the importance of the game and of the fans.”

TV viewers will be able to see for themselves how new safety measures will work. Players will not shake hands with each other, and spitting and conversations at close quarters on the field are prohibited with the K-League ready to impose sanctions on repeat offenders.

South Korea President Moon Jae-in has welcomed the return of sport to the country.

“The world will learn, with a close look, how to enjoy sports while making quarantine and everyday life coexist,” the president posted on social media. “I expect sports to give hope to the people desiring the recovery of their daily lives.

“To that end, the opening of the sports season should be well established in harmony with quarantine.”

Attention turns to #South Korea and #Faroe Islands as domestic football seasons begin in spite of pandemic

While the most attention in Europe is on the return of football in Germany with Bundesliga clubs set to resume playing later this month, this weekend South Korea will become the first country to restart its domestic league after the coronavirus pandemic.

The K League will launch a new season on Friday and, although games will be played behind closed doors for the time being, there are hopes – in stark contrast to Europe – that fans will soon be allowed into the stadiums because the virus has been so effectively contained.

South Korea has been one of the biggest success stories in this health emergency, despite its close geographical proximity to China, the original source of the outbreak.

Korea has only had 256 confirmed deaths from the virus, with 10,810 confirmed cases, managing to contain and prevent the spread thanks to a rigorous testing programme and tracing contact scheme.

To put those figures into perspective, the United Kingdom has already suffered more than 30,000 coronavirus deaths with more than 200,000 confirmed cases, which makes this country the hardest hit in Europe. In Germany, where games are expected to return as early as next week, there have been more than 7,000 deaths and 168,000 confirmed cases.

The South Korean government has remained cautious throughout the crisis but will allow the 12 teams in K1 and the dozen more in K2 to start the new season this weekend, where reigning champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will defend their title.

Korean football

Speaking on the new Gazzetta Football Korea podcast, which aims to introduce new supporters to the league, journalist Tom Clark said: “There is not a lot of football going on around the world and because Korea has been pretty good in its reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, it is able to start up again on May 8. The games this weekend will kick off around 11am UK time, so it’s perfect…

“The league is going to be behind closed doors to start with, but at least there is some live football to follow and there is not a lot of that going on at the minute.

“Unless you are lucky enough to have Korean channels in your home, it is not clear yet how you will be able to watch it. I spoke to Sports Radar, who have the international broadcast rights, and they are in conversation with lots of European broadcasters about showing the games and with ESPN in the USA. Failing that, there is a K League YouTube channel which shows highlights of all the games.

“The good thing about this is this is the start of a new season, not a resumption. So, they have been able to put rules in place that if a player tests positive, they know exactly what is going to happen. If there is a positive test on a matchday, the whole league stops for two weeks while that club quarantines. There are also bans on spitting and players talking to each other, although I’m not sure how that is going to work in practice.”

UK based South Korean journalist, Hur Yumi, added: “All of the players, staff and employees all passed their Coronavirus tests last week and there will be matchday tests as well.

“There will be no fans allowed into the stadium and there are other strict protocols to follow, so all managers, players and coaches from every club will be tested before they enter the stadium. They will also have a temperature test so all sorts of precautions… if one player fails those tests the whole team has to go into quarantine.”

Daegu FC  - Daegu FC via Reuters

Jeonbok are, along with Seongnam FC, whose Magpie symbol and black and white kit should make them popular with fans of Newcastle United, are the two most successful clubs in Korean football with seven titles each.

Other names to look out for are Poohang Steelers, Daegu FC, Busan IPark, Ulsan Hyundai, FC Seoul, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Incheon United, Gangwon FC, Gwangju FC and Sangju Sangmu.

The new football season comes just two days after the return of professional baseball in South Korea. Next week, South Korea will also become the first country to see women’s professional golf resume after COVID-19. South Korean players dominate women’s golf with eight featuring in the world’s top 20, including number one Ko Jin-young.

The $1.8 million Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Championship begins on May 14 in Yangju, east of Seoul with world number six Kim Sei-young and 10th-ranked Lee Jeong-eun in the 144-strong field.  

Meanwhile, in Europe, the Faroe Islands will be the first domestic club competition to restart this weekend, ahead of Germany the following week. The season had been due to start on March 8, but has been delayed by two months.

The Faroe Islands’ coronavirus outbreak began on March 3 and two months later it appears to have been halted, with only 187 cases in a population of just over 52,000 and no recorded deaths.

# K-League 2020 season ready to kick off: Everything you need to know

The K-League in South Korea will kick off its 2020 season on Friday, as the top national league in Asia is ready to roll.

Hit play on the hype video above. If that doesn’t get you fired up, I don’t know what will.

South Korea has managed the coronavirus pandemic particularly well compared to many other nations around the world and that has allowed its soccer league to prepare for a return over the last few months, with friendly games going on throughout April and a clear plan in place to play games in empty stadiums.

With the German Bundesliga announcing it will return to action in late May, live games are gradually returning in countries which have controlled the coronavirus outbreak.

All 1,100 personnel across the league were tested for COVID-19 last week and every single test came back as negative for the coronavirus. Players have been told not to spit excessively or talk closely with one another, while they will have their own individual water bottles which are labelled.

The K-League has emerged as Asia’s top division and has produced more winners of the AFC Champions League than any other league.

It was due to kick off on February 29 but instead the first games of the 2020 season will take place this Friday, May 8. The 2020 season has been shortened from 38 games to 27 as the 12 teams have also agreed that if further complications arise, the table will be final as long as 22 games have been played.

All eyes will be on the K-League to see how they manage this return to action and they have said they are more than willing to share their manual with other leagues around the world.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, managed by Jose Mourinho’s former assistant Jose Morais, are the reigning champions as they’ve won five of the last six titles and there are plenty of Brazilian players scattered across the K-League as each team are allowed three foreign players and one player from another AFC nation.

We will keep you up to date with the latest action and analysis from the first week of the K-League season right here on ProSoccerTalk as the first games kick off from Friday morning at 6 a.m. ET and will be streamed on the league’s YouTube and Twitter accounts.

The opening game of the season at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium will be played between the reigning champs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors who host Suwon Samsung Bluewings who have won four titles.

Canadian international Doneil Henry plays for Suwon, while former San Jose Earthquakes and LAFC striker Marco Urena plays for Gwangju FC.

Champions to kick off K League with a win

On Friday the 2020 K League campaign gets under way and the opening match features the 2019 champions Jeonbuk Motors at home to Suwon Bluewings.

Jeonbuk won the title on goal difference last term but they and second-placed Ulsan Hyundai were miles ahead of the rest of the league. The pair finished 23 points clear of third-placed FC Seoul and 31 ahead of Friday’s opponents, who ended the season in eighth.

The champions scored 72 goals in their 38 games last term, at an average of 1.89 goals per game, compared with 46 goals for the Bluewings.

Jeonbuk are managed by Portuguese coach Jose Morais, who worked with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, and will want to make a statement at the start of their title defence. The head-to-head stats back up the tip of a comfortable home win.

The hosts have not lost any of the last seven league meetings — winning five and drawing two. That sequence includes a 2-0 success in this fixture last term.

#Jeonbuk Motors vs #Suwon Bluewings predictions: #South Korea# K League 1 preview, betting tips and odds

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings predictions and betting tips as the latest odds for the South Korea K League 1 clash make the hosts favourites

The Korean K League season starts on Friday when defending champions Jeonbuk Motors host the Suwon Bluewings at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

Jeonbuk sealed their third straight South Korean top-flight title last season and will be looking to continue their eight-game undefeated streak from last season.

The Bluewings finished eighth last term but did manage to win the South Korean FA Cup and will have a dream start to the new season if they can topple the champions.

Both Jeonbuk and Suwon were in the Asian Champions League but neither managed a win before the competition was cancelled after two rounds, so will be keen to boost their confidence with a victory.

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings predictions and betting tips

Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Defending champions to get off to a flyer

Jeonbuk clinched their third league trophy in a row last year on goals scored after finishing on 79 points, the same as runners-up Ulsan Hyundai, who last tasted top-flight success in 2005.

The Warriors will be hopeful of enjoying another successful campaign, and it is hard to look past a side who have lost just two of their previous 29 home K League 1 matches.

It is a fantastic record for Jose Morais’ men but they will need to be mindful heading into the encounter against Korean FA Cup holders Suwon, who finished eighth in 2019 and can be a real threat when on top of their game.

Jeonbuk are unbeaten in the last seven league meetings against the Bluewings and have suffered just three defeats in the last 16 head to head in all competitions.

Expect goals to kick off the new season

Jeonbuk showcased their attacking prowess last season when netting a league-high 72 goals and they have only failed to score in one of their last 16 home games in all competitions.

Ricardo Lopes, who topped the club’s scoring charts last term, has departed for Shanghai SIPG but a fine replacement has arrived in the shape of Lars Veldwijk, who joins from Sparta Rotterdam after netting 27 goals from 42 appearances.

Lee Dong-Gook, who continues to defy the odds at the grand age of 41, chipped in with nine goals last season and there is enough firepower in the squad to ensure supporters’ are entertained.

As for Suwon, Australia forward Adam Taggart is their main threat, having scored 20 times from 32 games in the previous campaign, and he will be spearheading the attack once again.

Jeonbuk to find the right gear

Interestingly, of the 72 goals that Jeonbuk scored en route to winning the title, 31 came in the first half and 41 after the break, suggesting they don’t let their focus drop at any stage.

This is why backing the hosts to net in both halves, which is one of the specials bet365 are offering on the game, looks to be a shrewd bet as they will be desperate to get their title defence off to the perfect start.

I am expecting a feisty affair between these two teams. There have been 10 red cards shown in the past 22 meetings, and this should be a lively encounter to start the campaign.

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings odds

Jeonbuk Motors are 7/10 for the win, the draw 11/4 and Suwon Bluewings unfancied at 15/4.

• Jeonbuk Motors 7/10
• Draw 11/4
• Suwon Bluewings 15/4

Jeonbuk Motors team news

Jeonbuk Motors signed Gue-Sung Jo and Lars Veldwijk to replace Lopes and Shin-uk Kim and will likely start up front. Former Cardiff City midfielder Kim Bo-Kyung will start in midfield with former Bluewings defender Ja-Ryong Ku in defence. 

Jeonbuk Motors squad: Song Bum-Keun, Choi, Chul-Soon, Hong Jeong-Ho, Kim Jin-Su, Choi Bo-Kyung, Kim Bo-Kyung, Han, Kyo-Won, Lee Seung-Ki, Lee Soo-Bin, Veldwijk, Kunimoto, Cho Kyu-Sung, Lee Sung-Yoon, Murilo, Lee Bum-Young, Kim Min-Hyeok, Ku Ja-Ryoung, Hyuk, Gue-Sung Jo, Shin-uk Kim

Suwon Bluewings team news

Australian stiker Adam Taggart will start up from but it remains to be seen if new signing Sulejman Krpic will start alongside him or on the bench. Doneil Henry will start in defence with Ku now lining up for Jeonbuk.

Suwon Bluewings squad: No Dong-Geon, Hong Chul, Min Sang-Gi, Henry, Myung Jun-Jae, Yeom Ki-Hun, Kim Min-Woo, Choi Sung-Geun, Lee Jong-Sung, Taggart, Kim Gun-Hee, Antonis, Han Eui-Gwon, Han Seok-Hee, Yang Sang-Min, Hyung-Mo, Krpic, Ko Seung-Beom, Krpic.

Last five K League 1 results

Jeonbuk Motors

1 Dec 19 Jeonbuk Motors 1 Gangwon W

23 Nov 19 Ulsan 1 Jeonbuk Motors 1 D

3 Nov 19 Daegu 0 Jeonbuk Motors 2 W

26 Nov 19 Jeonbuk Motors 1 Seoul 1 D

20 Oct 19 Jeonbuk Motors 3 Pohang Steelers 0 W

Suwon Bluewings

30 Nov 19 Sangju Sangmu 4 Suwon Bluewings 1 L

24 Nov 19 Jeju United 2 Suwon Bluewings 4 W

2 Nov 19 Suwon Bluewings 0 Seongnam 0 D

27 Oct 19 Incheon United 1 Suwon Bluewings 1 D

19 Oct 19 Suwon Bluewings 2 Gyeongnam 1 W

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings: last five K League 1 meetings

28 Sep 19 Jeonbuk Motors 2 Suwon Bluewings 0

23 Jun 19 Jeonbuk Motors 1 Suwon Bluewings 1

9 Mar 19 Suwon Bluewings 0 Jeonbuk Motors 4

28 Oct 18 Jeonbuk Motors 2 Suwon Bluewings 0

23 Sep 18 Suwon Bluewings 0 Jeonbuk Motors 0

#Jeonbuk Motors vs #Suwon Bluewings Prediction & Match #Preview

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings
South Korea – K League 1
Date: 8 May 2020, Friday
Kick-off at 11:00 UK/ 12:00 CET
Venue: Jeonju World Cup Stadium (Jeonju).

As South Korea slowly return to normal life, the nation’s top football league kick-off under closed doors with defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors playing host to Suwon Bluewings.

Jeonbuk completed a hat-trick of league titles last season and 7th overall since they first won the championship in 2009.

Meantime, Suwon, who won 4 titles between 1998 and 2008 had to satisfy with an 8th placed finish. Yet, they qualified for the AFC Champions League by lifting the FA Cup with a convincing win over Daejeon Korail.

Jeonbuk Motors vs Suwon Bluewings Match Preview

Both teams had the taste of competitive football this season, which came in early March before the Covid-19 pandemic put things to a halt. Neither sides managed to register a win in the competition despite some favorable fixtures.

The Green Warriors lost 1-2 to Japanese outfit Yokohama Marinos before throwing the kitchen sink at Sydney FC to earn a 2-2 draw.

While Bluewings suffered back-to-back defeats with their opponents being Vissel Kobe and Malaysian outfit Johor DT.

Therefore, both teams would like to kick off the new season on a positive note after disappointing run in continental competition.

The bookies are favoring the hosts to win here at 1.80, while draw is priced at 3.50 and away win at 4.33.

Can the visitors upset the odds and bag at least a draw at a ground where they lost 70% of the games since 2014 ?

Jeonbuk vs Suwon Head-to-head

The last 5 meetings between these two sides across all venues saw Jeonbuk bagging 3 wins and 2 draws leaving Suwon looking for their first win in this tie since 2017.

The corresponding fixture of last season saw a 2-0 home win for the team in green.

Jeonbuk are unbeaten in last 13 K-League h2h games at this ground; won 9, drew 3 and lost 1.

Only 3 of their last 10 meetings at this ground saw over 2.5 goals, yet all those saw over 1.5 goals. Meantime, both teams scored in half of those games.

Jeonbuk vs Suwon Prediction

The statistics heavily favor the home side, not only on the back of a strong head-to-head record in this tie, but also because of their ability to make quick starts to a league campaign.

Jeonbuk come here with an excellent record on opening match weeks with a win-draw-loss record of 7-1-0 on matchday 1 since 2012. On the contrary, Suwon have not won an opening league match since 2014, the W-D-L record is a poor 0-1-4.

This is good enough for us to back a home win, considering the potential returns of 1.80 odd. Top this up with the fact that Jeonbuk is a team that lost just 3 of their 38 matches last season.

The over 2.5 goal market is a risky option for this K-League fixture as less than half of Jeonbuk’s home games as well as Suwon’s away games in 2019 season saw under 2.5 goals.

Therefore, I will keep the standalone over 1.5 goals full-time bet priced at 1.30 as a potential odd booster to any accumulator tip on the given day. Out of their 20 home matches last season, 18 saw at least 2 goals scored by either teams.

It is also a good idea to combine the home win with over 1.5 match goals for a price boost.

To sum up, go with home win as primary option and over 1.5 goal match total as the safe bet. Combine the two using a bet builder if you are feeling adventurous.

Jeonbuk vs Suwon Betting Tips

• Safe option: Over 1.5 goals full-time @ 1.30 odd

• Value Bet: Jeonbuk to win @ 1.80 odd

• For Brave Punters: Jeonbuk to win and Over 1.5 goals @ 2.25 odd.

• Full-Time Correct Score: 2-0 for the hosts @ 8.00 odd.

World watches on as #South Korea's #K League kicks off

"I expect sports to give hope to the people desiring the recovery of their daily lives as early as possible," the country's President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday.

No fans will be allowed into the stadium for the match despite South Korea's widely-admired success at containing the spread of COVID-19, allowing a move from social distancing to "everyday quarantine" as of Wednesday.

Other protocols have been put in place to protect the health of the players.

A nod of the head will replace the traditional pre-match handshake, spitting is discouraged, and excessive goal-scoring celebrations are banned.

Players and staff will also have their temperatures checked when they enter the stadium, even though they have all been tested for the virus.

"About a week ago, we decided to get everyone, players and coaching staff, tested for the coronavirus so that there will be little or no risk of infection even if there's contact," Lee Jong-kwoun, the K League's head of communication, told Reuters on Thursday.

"So about 1,100 players and coaches and team staff members were tested and fortunately everyone came back negative."

If any players or staff test positive for COVID-19 during the remainder of the season, their team will be suspended from competition for two weeks.

The league is passing on the lessons they have learned to other professional leagues around the world through their safety manual, Lee said.

FANS RETURN

The K League is hoping fans will be able to return to stadiums before too long in a season cut to 27 rounds from 38 because of the COVID-19 delay.

The attention the K League is receiving by getting players back on the pitch while other leagues remain in furlough has, however, helped make up for a lack of revenue from ticket sales.

"The biggest source of revenue for the league and teams is broadcast rights and sponsorship," Lee added.

"Fortunately we've been getting world attention by being able to open the season a bit early, and we're hoping that through this world exposure, we'll be trying to generate more sponsorship and broadcast revenue."

The K League is Asia's oldest professional league, dating back to 1983 when the splendidly named but now-defunct Hallelujah FC were the inaugural champions.

It has fallen behind the other top East Asian leagues in profile in recent years despite boasting more Asian club champions than any other nation, with Jeonbuk accounting for two of the 11 titles won by South Korean sides.

Jeonbuk have also won the K League for six of the last seven years, making them strong favourites to win the title again this year under Portuguese coach Jose Morais, once Jose Mourinho's assistant at Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Suwon's fourth title came back in 2008 but they boasted the league's top scorer last season in Australian Adam Taggart, who found the net 20 times.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min, currently undergoing three weeks national military service on the island of Jeju, is a reminder that there is also homegrown talent in South Korean football.

That talent is now set for worldwide exposure, especially as the strict convention of wearing facemasks in public in South Korea will be eased for the duration of each fixture.

"As the game gets underway, players will be playing without their masks on," Lee said.