5 Days Out…

Where has the time gone? The Japanese baseball season gets underway this coming friday, with Hanshin taking on the Yakult Swallows in Osaka. Expect up to the minute live blogging of the first game from 6pm, only here! (yes I’m planning to spend my friday night in front of a computer screen following a baseball game, how cool am I).

This week, though, is a week of sporting events for me. On wednesday- having sold my Oasis ticket to a fan in need- I’ve opted to go to the World Cup Qualifier between South Korea and…North Korea. It should be an interesting atmosphere- I’m curious as to how many North Korean fans will be in attendance- and while I would’ve liked to have seen Oasis they don’t really care about their Asian fans that much so I don’t think I’ll be missing a one-in-a-million gig (plus, I only really like their old stuff).

Finally, next Saturday sees Samsung Suwon taking on FC Seoul at the World Cup Stadium, so I’ll be back to cheer on the Blues from the away fans section- we’ve had a terrible start to the season, and need to get something against a similarly poor Seoul team.

Bring on the sports!

Nisuwon- Championship Decided As Suwon Won Two-One

Suwon Won Two-One in the second leg of the K-League Championship Finale today to take the title for the first time since 2004!

The game started brightly, with over 40,000 packed into the Big Bird Stadium despite sub-zero temperatures. Suwon took the lead on 11 minutes when Edu, a dead-ringer for French ace Christophe Dugarry, smashed in from the left of the box. FC Seoul had a pen on 25 minutes when the Suwon keeper foolishly brought down FC’s striker, even though he wasn’t going anywhere. Despite pulling back to 1-1, Suwon took the lead again nine minutes before the break with a penalty of their own. Edu’s initial effort was saved, but he pounced on the rebound. 2-1 at half time!

The second half was slightly less exciting as temperatures dropped and both sides failed to create meaningful chances. Edu had a good chance, and the game was broken up by BAD refereeing decisions. After an unbelievable 5 minutes of extra time the ref blew up, and Suwon took the crown!!

The atmosphere was as good as the mid-week draw in Seoul, and it left me in no doubt that I’ve chosen a great team to support!  We even did the crazy “Ob-la-di Ob-la-da” dance/chant again!

Finally, as the 5 minutes of extra time drew to their close, it started snowing- as my colleague Mr.Che said “it was like even the heavens were celebrating Suwon’s victory”. A great result and a great day out!

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You-Tube video of Korea’s all time best player, and now Suwon coach Cha Bum-kun- click on post title at the top to watch the video in full screen

Me and The Grandbleu

Last night I found my footballing home in Korea, with a trip to Sangam (World Cup) Stadium to see FC Seoul take on Suwon. Unlike my previous visit, I was now a Suwon fan thanks to the fickle team-supporting of a co-teacher and the fact one of my Korean friends is from Suwon. I got to experience firsthand the most committed “ultras” in Korea, the Suwon Grandbleu and got interviewed by TV station MBC because I was one of the only foreigners in an away section filled with hardcore fans!

Best of all though were the chants- one to “Yellow Submarine”, and an interactive all-singing all-dancing one to “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da” where whole rows of supporters linked arms and threw their heads back and forth. We drew 1-1 in the first leg of the K-League Championship decider, going down in the first half thanks to incredibly sloppy defending on a set piece, but finalling getting back into the game with 10 minutes to go after sustained pressure. The atmosphere was far more similar to an English football match that anything else I’ve experienced in Asia. Being in the away section obviously made the whole thing a better experience, and their were funny chants (translated thanks to Mr.Che) about FC Seoul being a “fake” team because they only moved to Seoul a few years ago, as well as insults directed at the ref and opposition players, usually uncommon in Asian (well, Japanese and Korean) football.

Best of all was the chant after we’d pulled level- “Nisuwon, Nisuwon, Nisuwon!”

The second-leg decider is on sunday in Suwon.