WK League News

Seoul City Amazones took all three points at home against Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels this evening in a Round 2 clash originally scheduled to be held in March but postponed due to Incheon’s AFC Women’s Champions League involvement. The win put an end to an end to a run of draws for Seoul which began the last time they met Incheon, in Round 16.

As a postponed fixture, it was the only match of the evening, and despite recent torrential rain across Korea, it was a clear evening as the teams and spectators gathered at the auxiliary pitch of Seoul World Cup Stadium. With Seoul and Incheon sitting in 3rd and 4th place respectively with just a couple of points between them, this was a showdown between two teams desperately trying to finish the season within the playoff positions.

Seoul had an explosive start to 2025, and have still only lost one match so far, but their momentum has slowed as the season has gone on. With a smaller, less experienced squad than their rivals, Seoul couldn’t afford to rest Kim Minji, Jung Minyoung and Kim Miyeon, fresh back from national team duties at the EAFF E-1 Championship — all three played the full match this evening. Incheon Hyundai, meanwhile, kept Ko Yoojin on the bench until halftime and played Kim Jungmi in goal rather than Kim Minjung. Incheon’s longtime first-choice keeper, Kim Jungmi has been sharing club duties with Kim Minjung more since last season. Kim Jungmi may be the oldest player in the WK League — she won the best goalkeeper award at the EAFF Championship when Korea first won it in 2005 — but she’s still sharp, and more than capable of holding fort for Incheon.

In both of their previous meetings this season, Seoul and Incheon drew 1-1. They held each other to 0-0 for most of the first half, with Incheon’s aggressive press proving a challenge for Seoul’s quick, well-drilled passing. Incheon’s captain Jang Chang led her team competently from the midfield, driving the ball forward to create attacking opportunities. Seoul goalkeeper Woo Seobin had to make a few saves, but each time demonstrated why she has been called up to the Korea squad lately, performing with the coolness of one with years of league experience — in fact, this is Woo’s first season in the WK League.

Seoul were first to score, with Seo Hyunmin positioning herself at the end of a Kwak Minyoung cross to give the home team the lead before the break. Incheon manager Hur Jeongjae made a triple substitution at half time and the decision immediately paid off, with substitute Kim Sungmi scoring an equaliser just two minutes into the second half. With neither team wanting to settle for yet another 1-1 draw, tensions rose. As both teams stepped up their intensity, there were some careless passes and sloppy fouls in both directions.

Seoul broke the deadlock at 59 minutes, with quick thinking from substitute Baek Dohye, playing to the whistle to get a cross into the box towards Kim Eunsol. Her touch sent the ball away from the goal, and the gathered defenders, and to the feet of Jung Minyoung. Jung had the space and time to get the ball onto her right foot before sending a Ji Soyun-esque rocket from outside the box directly into the goal. The rest of the second half played out at a high tempo, with Incheon coming close to equalising again but unable to do enough.

This is only Incheon’s third loss of the season, having had a slower start than the likes of Seoul. Manager Hur will be hoping that the return of players such as Namgung Yeji from injury, and the addition of Choe Yuri to his squad, will help to level up Incheon’s performance when the season fully resumes next month. With Hwacheon KSPO pulling away at the top of the table and Gyeongju KHNP strengthening an already star-studded squad, Incheon need to get on winning form soon to avoid being left out of the playoff spots for the second time in a row. Their next league fixture is another catch-up match on 14th August against Gyeongju KHNP, but the two sides will be meeting before that — they’ve both been drawn in a so-called “group of death”, along with Hwacheon KSPO and Mungyeong Sangmu, at the upcoming National Women’s Football Championship in Changnyeong.

Seoul City will also be playing a catch-up league game on 14th August, when they travel to Mungyeong Sangmu. A decisive win there could help them edge past Gyeongju and into second place — they are currently sitting on the same points total and goal difference. Before that, Seoul will also be in Changnyeong for the National Championship, and they will surely fancy their chances in that competition. They’ve avoided the group of death, instead being drawn with Sejong Sportstoto, Suwon FC, and Changnyeong WFC, making them favourites to get through to the semi-finals.