A Steep Hill
This will possibly be my last away match of the season, and Seoul has another difficult one tonight.
Today, Seoul makes the short hop over to Suwon to face the team currently running away with the league.
Suwon FC Women have been doing well all season, but since the Champions League final, they have been on a tear. Across all competitions, they have played 16 matches in total, losing just one and drawing two. Going into this match, they are nine points ahead of Hwacheon in second place and 21 points ahead of Gyeongju and Mungyeong in third and fourth.
The Journey to Suwon
I use the bus to get to Suwon, which means possibly waiting outside for long stretches. The worst of summer is over, so the heat is no longer a major problem, but the transfer stop is still next to a busy, exhaust-fume-saturated road connecting Anyang to Suwon. And depending on which bus I board there, I might have to stand for a good 30 minutes on a packed bus, swinging back and forth, left and right.
Gogga is joining me again. The main selling point this time is that there are tons of restaurants in the area. We cannot drink beer because we have to go for a medical check-up tomorrow, but she is okay with that. Her choice of dinner today is… SALADY!
It has been a while since we have been there. It is not the most substantial meal, but I will never say no to a good salad.
The Return of an Old Extra Character
As a reminder, the retailer has been through tough times, struggling to fill shelves and pay suppliers. I have not seen the Seoul World Cup Stadium branch since they reopened, but I assume all the branches are operating similarly right now.
The shelves are no longer stocked with just a single type of item, and suppliers seem willing to give them another chance. The alcohol section at this branch, at least, has a small selection of makgeolli and beer instead of just one brand of alcohol-free beer. It is a strange thing to comment on, but it feels reassuring. And maybe I will be able to watch the next home match with some makgeolli again!
The “Cheese Section” is stocked with soju, and a few of the fridges are being used to display kitchenware. There is clearly still some work to be done here. Still, it is much better than the HomePlus of a few months ago, and despite the odd layout, everything feels more sustainable.
In the food court, most of the restaurants seem to be closed, which is odd considering it is Friday evening. I wonder if they are still in business.
We grab some cold water and a small snack before we make our way towards the stadium.
A Proper Match-Day Experience
It is only 5,000 won, and it makes sense because they market themselves as “One Team”, with a professional men’s squad and an effectively professional women’s squad.
With this professionalism, you get a club shop that is open before the game and a refreshment stand inside the stadium that remains open during the match.
We also get what looks like a souvenir ticket and a cooling patch. Both are cheap little additions, but they add value to the ticket price and help make the match feel like an event.
The seating arrangements are also a little different from the opening match I attended here. This time, we enter on the ground floor and are funnelled to either side through the tabled seating section. On the Suwon side, there are at least five times as many tables, and most of the supporters sit there.
On the Seoul side, there are maybe 12 tables, and it is not immediately clear whether we are allowed to sit there. Most people simply walk past them towards the normal seats.
After setting up my banner, upside down by mistake, I head over to the Suwon side to see if I can get some photos of the fans and maybe a signed ball.
The team does not throw balls into the crowd today. Boo! And the fans are slow to get started, leaving me standing around like a lost tourist. They need to take some lessons from their men’s supporters or their neighbours, the Bluewings, who start chanting well before the match begins.
An Unexpected Guest in the Seoul Section
Once we realise that we are allowed to sit at the tables, we move over and make ourselves comfortable a few tables away from her.
The Seoul side is quite empty tonight, so she is the only person of real interest in our immediate vicinity. And sitting near her turns out to be quite amusing.
As an actual squad member, she is much more invested in the action on the field than we are. No one can hear her, but she spends the entire match giving instructions to the players, jumping up whenever something interesting happens and generally behaving like a very well-informed supporter.
Seoul Takes the Lead
But Seoul scores first, just before half-time.
The goalkeeper launches a massive kick across the field. It bounces, and a defender tries to head it out of the box. It does not go far.
Kim Min-ji gets to the ball first and lobs it towards goal, where it hits the crossbar. The ball bounces back into the field, and captain Gang Tae-gyeong is there to smash it into the net.
Against all expectations, Seoul leads. The substitutes, who are busy warming up, celebrate by forming a circle and jumping together, making the whole circle spin as if they are playing Ring-a-rosies.
I manage to get a photo, but I really wish I had my phone ready to capture it on video.
The Main Talking Point
The main talking point of the match actually comes earlier, after Ji So-yeon receives a yellow card.
From where we are sitting, it is not clear what happens. Watching the match online later helped fill in the gaps.
In the broadcast, you can see Ji So-yeon talking to the referee. The referee stops, and as she turns around, she is already reaching into her pocket. At the same time, Ji So-yeon appears to put a finger to her lips, seemingly telling the referee to keep quiet as the yellow card comes out.
And from there, things only get more heated.
You can see her talking to the coaches, presumably explaining the situation. The referee follows her and speaks to the coaches as well, while Ji So-yeon appears to become angrier by the second.
Most of the players are staying clear of whatever is happening.
Interestingly, at one point during the argument, Seoul’s Im Seon-ju comes over and tries to calm Ji So-yeon. I suppose they know each other well after playing so many national team matches together. But it does not help.
Eventually Ji So-yeon becomes so angry that, after speaking to the fourth referee, she turns around and throws a bottle of water onto the ground.
The referee immediately pulls out a red card. But three Suwon players step between her and Ji So-yeon, apparently trying to calm the referee down.
I have a feeling the card was never more than a threat, but who knows?
My Rugby Brain
Now, I come from a rugby background, and my immediate feeling is that, no matter what the referee has done, you need to back off. She has made her decision, and she is not going to change it.
Stopping the game for five minutes to scream at the referees is not on. Let it go and make an official complaint after the match.
The next day, though, we learn what had happened. I believe it is the main referee who, while talking to another referee over their communication system, said that Ji So-yeon’s reaction to something on the field was possibly because she was on her period.
Maybe that is funny when you are at home talking to friends who understand your sense of humour. It is definitely unprofessional when you are a referee officiating a match.
After reading this and watching the replay, I definitely have sympathy for the way Ji So-yeon reacted.
I still feel that she should have backed off much earlier, but I also have a feeling that, if it were me, I would have thrown the bottle not on the ground but at the referee.
I do not doubt that Suwon filed an official complaint, but we later learn that Seoul filed one. For what it’s worth, I do not think the referee should be fired, but there should be some sort of disciplinary action.
Suwon Comes Back
In the second half, Suwon keeps up the pressure, which eventually pays off, and they score two goals before the final whistle.
Honestly, I never thought that a single goal was going to be enough for Seoul to beat a team as strong as Suwon.
Seoul put up a good fight, but Suwon’s quality eventually shows.
The Long Walk Away
After the match, Seoul forms their usual huddle on the pitch while the Suwon players go to thank their supporters.
When the Seoul players finish, though, they grab their gear and walk off in dribs and drabs.
A few players wave to friends who have come to watch, but apart from that, they completely ignore the tiny group of travelling supporters.
And that is where the frustration from the previous match comes back.
I am still kind of pissed off about what happened then. I remember other occasions this season when something similar has happened too. I have spent much of this year travelling to matches, making plans around kick-off times, standing at bus stops, sitting through uncomfortable journeys and finding ways to make an entire day out of following Seoul. These are the things that create memories.
Now, the team does not owe me anything for that, but just the simple act of saying “Thank you for your support today.” means so much to fans.
I committed to supporting Seoul this season, and I intend to see that commitment through. This season has already become a much bigger story than simply whether Seoul wins or loses. It has become a story about following the team around Korea and seeing what happens along the way.
But commitment and support are a strange thing. We spend time and money to make the journeys, and we come back even when the team loses. The only thing that matters is that we enjoy ourselves.
What is harder to deal with is when the team does not seem to care whether or not we are in the stands. That starts eating away at the overall enjoyment.
Maybe I am expecting too much. Or maybe, by the end of the season, I will decide that I have done what I set out to do and choose a new team.
For now, though, I pack away the banner, leave the stadium and start the journey home, already checking when the next match will be.
No comments:
Post a Comment