WK League News

The 2025 WK League Championship Final began on Saturday as league champions Hwacheon KSPO travelled to the capital to pay a visit to Seoul City Amazones. Seoul had hosting rights for the first leg but Hwacheon brought with them an impressive contingent of travelling fans, and there was plenty of noise in support of both teams.

Hwacheon dominated in the first half, settling into the game quickly and taking the lead after just nine minutes. Wie Jae-eun took advantage of a quick counterattacking play and delivered a powerful strike from outside the box that sailed over Seoul’s defence and directly back into the ack of the net. It was an excellent goal, and the Hwacheon supporters were ecstatic. Seoul’s fans were audibly stunned by conceding so early in the game, and there was another blow coming. Just three minutes later, Choi Yoojung netted a second for Hwacheon, assisted by Wie Jae-eun.

Seoul, and their fans, were rattled. It looked like the goals might just keep coming for KSPO, but gradually the home team seemed to find their footing in the game. The Amazones’ defence denied their rivals scoring opportunities on several occasions, including a particularly impressive triple save from Woo Seobin late in the half, but Hwacheon’s attack was relentless. A few minutes before half time, Wie Jae-eun was on the scoresheet for a third time for providing another assist, this time to Lee Soobin.

At half time, the score stood at 0-3, and there was a sense of resignation and foreboding among those in the home end, Seoul’s loyal supporters dreading the final score after not just another half, but another three halves of this two-legged final. Hope was not lost, however. With so much time left to play, Seoul had time to turn things around, and it wouldn’t be the first time a team has made a dramatic comeback in a WK League Championship Final.

Seoul made their third substitution at half time, having made two changes already, immediately after the third goal. With fresh legs to help them keep up with Hwacheon’s pacy play, the Amazones weren’t going down without a fight. While KSPO manager Kang Sunmi held out on making any substitutions, Seoul’s hand was forced when Jung Minyoung went down injured, with Son Yoonhee joining the fray as Jung was carried back to the dugout on a stretcher.

However, Seoul fans’ optimism was soon restored as they launched their unlikely comeback. Shin Bomi rescued a ball that looked sure to go out for a goal kick and managed to engineer a corner for Seoul, then headed Park Heeyoung’s cross into the back of the net. Barely a minute later, with the crowd still celebrating, the Amazones won another corner and with the pressure suddenly dialled up, another, and another. It was Hwacheon’s turn to look nervous, and with good reason. Seoul’s second goal was another header, this time from Kim Miyeon.

Suddenly KSPO’s lead was in danger, and Seoul City’s self-belief was restored, and with over twenty minutes still to play, the match intensified, each team trying to catch the other on the break, players from both sides appealing to the referee for every perceived infraction in the hopes of winning a free kick or penalty. Play moved frantically from one end to the other, then back again as Hwacheon tried to restore their safety buffer and Seoul tried to find an equaliser.

Kang Sunmi used her bench cautiously, making her first substitution at 84′ as Choi Jungmin made way for Chun Garam. It was the first of only two changes for the visitors. Making few and late changes is not unusual for Hwacheon. Despite having more players available compared to their rivals, KSPO tend to rely more heavily on a strong starting eleven to carry them for most of the match. It’s clearly a formula that has been working for Hwacheon, but it can leave them vulnerable late in the game as key players become fatigued and those with less league experience are rotated in.

With only seconds left on the clock, Wie Jae-eun found herself with a chance to score again, but Woo Seo-bin blocked the shot and the referee blew the whistle for full time. For her stellar performance, including one goal and two assists, Wie was named Player of the Match, the award formally presented to her by singer and KWFF ambassador Yubin. Meanwhile, a strange atmosphere descended over the ground, the prospect of next week’s second leg looming. Despite the scoreline still tipping things in their favour ahead of their home fixture, Hwacheon’s staff and fans looked concerned with the day’s result. Maybe KSPO got complacent, maybe they simply got tired, but either way, a resilient Seoul side has shown that they can, and will, put up a fight. The second leg of this final will be a mental battle as much as a physical one, with both teams very much still in with a chance of lifting the WK League trophy.

Missed the match? Watch the replay on YouTube via KSBN Sports