[골닷컴, 부산] Reporter Kim Hyung-joong = On the 29th, at 7 pm, the 2022 Hana OneQ FA Cup quarterfinals was held between Busan Transportation Corporation and FC Seoul. Busan Transportation Corporation dreamed of a ‘miracle of Calais’ and aimed for a surprise, but the match ended in a 3-0 victory for Seoul.
While Seoul took the lead, Busan Transportation Corporation showed a sharp edge from time to time. Seoul was not vigilant until the end, and Busan Transportation Corporation did its best to overcome its objective power. Contrary to the good content of the game, the home game operation and facilities were very disappointing. The Korean Football Association Cup (FA Cup) quarter-finals made me wonder if it was a match. These were problems caused by not complying with the competition rules.
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First of all, the safety of the team was not guaranteed. After arriving at the stadium, players from both teams got off the bus and walked towards the headquarters where the locker room is located. A rare situation was created in which players and spectators entered side by side. The spectators could contact the players if they wished. There was no home team official who wanted to separate the lines.
The game supervisor inquired about the placement of security personnel with the home team officials, but the answer they got back was ‘Scheduled to be deployed at 6 o’clock.’ It was a rather absurd answer that the squad bus usually arrives one and a half hours before kickoff, but security personnel arrive one hour before kickoff.
Even at halftime, the dangerous situation continued. The players on the substitution list warmed up on the ground, and the spectators came down to the grass without any restraint and watched the spectators. When the halftime was over, the announcer in the hall gave an announcement saying, “Now that the second half begins, don’t come down to the track.”
It was also disappointing that the necessary facilities were absent. In Chapter 3, Article 10 of the 2022 Hana OneQ FA Cup Operation Rules, there is a description of the press seat facilities. It states that ‘the seat with a table must have a power outlet and an Internet connection’. In addition, it is stipulated that ‘In the event that an outlet and Internet connection are not possible inevitably, a separate facility for media use in the stadium must be prepared’.
However, there were no press seats in the auxiliary stadium of Busan Asiad on that day. When the reporters who visited the stadium about two hours before the game started asking the stadium officials about the location of the press seats, the answer came back saying, “There is no press seat.” He did not answer questions about electricity and the Internet. In the end, tables, chairs, and tents were prepared at the request of the reporters, but electricity and internet were not ready.
What is even more disappointing is that the FA Cup has already been played once this year. Last March, the Busan Transportation Corporation’s second round match against Incheon Namdong-gu Citizens’ Football Team was held at the Busan Asiad auxiliary stadium. Because it was an early round with relatively little interest, the problem may have passed without being exposed. However, today’s match was the 5th round and the quarterfinals. It is necessary to operate commensurate with the reputation of the competition.
The FA Cup is a prestigious tournament that determines the best soccer clubs in Korea, both professional and amateur. The players of the K3 League Busan Transportation Corporation played their best in the match against the prestigious K-League 1 club called FC Seoul. However, the home game management fell short of the enthusiasm of the players.