Korean Cup Semi-Finals First Leg Preview | OneFootball

We're down to the last four in this season's Korean Cup. Defending champions Pohang Steelers meet familiar opposition at this stage in Jeju United. Meanwhile, in Gwangju, back-to-back League champions Ulsan HD will look to leave the City of Light with at least a draw to take back to Munsu. No side outside the top division has made it this far.

The first legs are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 21:

Jeju United vs. Pohang Steelers, 19:30.

Jeju World Cup Stadium. Tickets.

How did they get this far?

Jeju United survived the weather and an almighty scare in Gimpo earlier this month. A severely waterlogged pitch should have called for a postponement but Jeju won a tight affair in the third minute of injury time. Gimpo have become a bogey team for K League 1 opposition but not for Kim Hak-beom and his men.

TheSteelers got their defense underway with a penalty shoot-out victory over Suwon Samsung in the 4th round. Their reward was a meeting with FC Seoul but Pohang steamrolled the away side 5-1 in the quarter-finals. Seoul were in the game with 12 minutes remaining, but three late goals added significant gloss to the scoresheet.

Form Guide:

Jeju don't have much form to speak of and the Islanders are slowly being dragged into a relegation battle. They've lost two straight and three of their last four, but they did record a 2-1 home over Pohang last month, thanks to Yuri Jonathan's 101st-minute winner.

Likewise,Pohang's form has been dreadful for a month. Their last five games have ended 2-1, but they've come out on the wrong side in four of those, including that recent loss in Seogwipo. This Cup tie could either prove a nuisance or a healthy distraction.

Recent Cup Meeting:

Jeju hosted Pohang at the same stage last season, in a typhoon-affected one-off match. The August meeting eventually went ahead on November 1st, three days before the final. The tie ended 1-1 after extra time but the Steelers prevailed 4-3 on penalty kicks in Seogwipo. On November 4th, Pohang beat their rivals Jeonbuk 4-2 in a pulsating final.

Cup Pedigree:

Jeju United have regularly featured in the latter stages of the Korean Cup. This will be their 9th appearance in the last 4, but they've lost seven of the previous eight. In 2004, they went one further, making the final as Bucheon SK before losing to Busan Icons on penalties. They moved to Jeju in 2006, making the quarters, or further, on numerous occasions.

Pohang Steelers are Cup royalty. They have lifted the trophy on five occasions, including last year, and finished runner's up three times. This is a similar record to both Jeonbuk Motors and Suwon Samsung. Last season's success ended a run of 10 years without the trophy but the man who led them that day, Kim Ki-dong, has since moved on. They are joint favorites to retain the Cup again this season.

Prediction:

Jeju United 1-2 Pohang Steelers

This is really difficult to call. Both sides have absolutely no form to speak of heading into Wednesday's first leg. Pohang's title challenge is still on but showing signs of slowing down. Jeju have been dragged back into the relegation battle. Team selection on the day will likely show attention is elsewhere for the Islanders. I've gone for 2-1 because Pohang love a 2-1 but this time, in their favor.

Gwangju FC vs. Ulsan HD, 19:00.

Gwangju Stadium.Tickets.

How did they get this far?

Gwangju have reached the last four after facing K League 2 opposition in the fourth round and quarter-finals. Both games, against Bucheon FC 1995 and Seongnam FC, ended 3-2 after Gwangju threw away big leads. In Bucheon, they were 3-0 inside a half-hour, but scrambled to avoid extra time. Then a poor Seongnam team rallied from 2-0 down with three minutes to play to force extra time in the last round. The K League 1 side eventually went through.

Ulsan's run has been even more entertaining. They were gifted a fourth-round tie with struggling Gyeongnam FC, but fell behind before tying the game late in the first half after the visitors had a man sent off. Amazingly, Gyeongnam would score three times with 10 men to force penalties, but they missed all their spot kicks, much to Ulsan's relief. Kim Min-jun's goal was enough in the quarter-finals to see them past Incheon United.

Form guide:

Gwangju planted the final nail in Hong Myung-bo's Ulsan coffin with a shock 1-0 win in Munsu last month, that will surely be presented as a form of motivation by manager Lee Jong-hyo. But their preparations took a hit coming into this match when they blew a 2-0 half-time lead away to table toppers Gangwon FC, to end a run of three straight wins.

Ulsan also lost on Sunday night, this time at home to another surprise package, Suwon FC. The game was tied at 0-0 when Joo Min-kyu was handed his marching orders. Suwon took the lead two minutes later and added an insurance score early in the second half. The loss sees Ulsan stay in third but they're now five months adrift of Gangwon in first.

Incidentally, Gwangju and Ulsan will meet three times in a week. Either side of the Cup games, they face each other in Gwangju this coming Sunday. What are the chances.

Recent Meeting:

This is the first Cup meeting between Ulsan and Gwangju since June 2016 when 595 people showed up at Munsu to see current Anyang stalwart Lee Chang-yong send Ulsan through with a 75th-minute winner. I'm sure Munsu rocked that day.

Cup pedigree:

Ulsan HD have a surprisingly mediocre record in the Cup, with their one victory coming in 2017. Since then, the Tigers have made - and lost - two finals but it wouldn't be a shock if this is the trophy they're focusing on, given the rewards in terms of ACL qualification are the same as winning the title. A league and cup double is very much on.

Gwangju are a small club, formed 14 years ago. As a result, they lack the cup history of the other three sides remaining in the last four. They have recorded two quarter-final appearances, including last year, when they went on to finish 3rd in the league. No matter what happens from here on, Gwangju have achieved something they've never done before.

Prediction:

Gwangju 1-1 Ulsan HD

On paper, Ulsan should have too much for Gwangju but if game's were played on paper we wouldn't show up. Also, guessing the FA Cup lineups is a pointless exercise at this stage. Ulsan have a new man in the hot seat.Kim Pan-gon has big boots to fill and that might make them vulnerable. I think both clubs would settle for a draw to take back to Munsu.