Professional Soccer Team Toppled by Amateurs

An amateur soccer club has prevailed over a professional team in the round of 32 of the 2005 Hana Bank FA Cup Tournament, held at the Gimhae Stadium on October 26.

With a deciding goal by Park Hi-wan, the Hyundai Mipo Dolphin Football Club made history by defeating last year’s tournament champion and winner of the first half of this season’s K League, the Busan I’Park team, with a score of 2-1.

Hyundai Mipo took the lead 18 minutes into the first half when Jeon Sang-dae made a right-foot shot from the right side of the penalty area. The team put up an effective defense, limiting Busan’s shooting opportunities to just four during the first half, but gave up a tying goal to Busan’s Ko Chang-hyeon 23 minutes into the second half. Hyundai Mipo struck back six minutes later, with Park Hi-wan making his way from the center of the penalty area toward the right side of the field and shooting a powerful right-foot goal to become the star of the tournament’s first whirlwind victory.

Busan deployed all its starting-level players, including Luciano, Da Silva, and Popo, but could not defeat Hyundai Mipo’s fierce fighting spirit.

On the same day, Incheon United overcame Ajou University 3-2 in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, while Seongnam Ilhwa, going up against Chung-Ang University with its second-tier lineup, enjoyed a 3-2 come-from-behind win and proceeded to the round of 16. FC Seoul also made it through the first round by defeating Gimpo Hallelujah 2-1.

Bongshin, the strongest among the purely amateur teams, was crushed by Kookmin Bank with a score of 0-4.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com