Kang Chae-rim, Pearl Suwon FC Women, and Sejong Sports Toto drew the opening game for the second consecutive season with 0-0 draw (WK League 1R review)

Mar 15, 2025

'Korea Crack'Kang Chae-rim's 'Defending Champion' Suwon FC Women drew without scoring in the opening game against Sejong Sports Toto.

Suwon FC Women, led by head coach Park Gil-young, clashed with Yoon Deok-yeo's Sejong Sports Toto in the opening game of the 2025 WK League at Suwon Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 15th. Suwon FC Women's matchup for the opening game of Sejong Sports Toto was held for the second consecutive year following last year. In last year's opening game, both teams drew 0-0. Suwon manager Park Gil-young, who declared 'shut up and attack' ahead of the league's opening game, said "I want to show you really interesting soccer." Even if you hit and fought, I'll play a good game where the fans say it was fun" expressed his determination. Park's Suwon never lost to Yoon's Sports Toto. At the media day on the 12th, head coach Yoon Deok-yeo said "I'm in the fifth year of Sports Toto's appointment, but I've never beaten Suwon." I really want to win this opening gameCoach Park Gil-young said, `I will never lose to Sports Toto" responded.

Yang Myung-seok, president of the Korea Women's Football Federation, Lee Ho-seung, the owner of Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-joon, and Jang Mi-young, chairman of the Suwon City Council's Culture and Sports Committee, gave strength to women's soccer through on-site intuition. Immediately after the retirement ceremony of Shim Seo-yeon, Park Se-ra, and Eo Hee-jin, who led the WK League to last year's championship, the opening whistle blew.

In the second minute of the first half, Suwon's corner kick chance and Seo Jin-joo's cross were followed by Meghan's first shot of a rookie striker from the U.S. missed. On the right side, Kang Chae-rim's breakthrough shone. In the 9th minute of the first half, a cross following Kang Chae-rim's pass to Song Jae-eun was blocked by Sejong Sports Toto's defense. In the 18th minute of the first half, Lee Yoo-jin's cross was blocked by breaking down the opponent's right side. The gritty scene of Kang Chae-rim throwing himself to protect the ball in the 20th minute of the first half was impressive. In the 24th minute of the first half, Kang Chae-rim's cross to the door did not reach his teammate's head. As coach Park Gil-young said, he clearly expressed his will to 'Dakgong'. Suwon FC Women had a generational change after a large number of last year's winners, including Moon Mi-ra, Kim Yoon-ji and Jeon Eun-ha, left for Gyeongju KHNP this season, but Kang Chae-rim, Lee Young-seo and Song Jae-eun showed brilliant performance, raising expectations.

After the middle of the first half, the battle of one team and one team began. In the 27th minute of the first half, Jeong Seol-bin's powerful left foot shot, which took over Park's pass, was fierce. It was Sejong Sports Toto's first shot. Suwon FC Song Jae-eun's right foot shot then went to the left of the net. In the 29th minute of the first half, Sports Toto goalkeeper Ryu Ji-soo blocked Suwon's shot on the left side of the box. Yoon Deok-yeo, head coach of Sejong Sports Toto, made an early replacement in the 32nd minute of the first half. Without Cho Ha-neul, Park Hye-jeong was put in. Shortly after the replacement, Sports Toto Kang Ji-woo's thunder shot slightly missed the side of the net. In the 35th minute of the first half, Kang Chae-rim's ground ball pass from the side and Meghan in the gate fell and missed the chance. In the 36th minute of the first half, Seo Ye-jin of the midfield took a breath with a mid-range shot. In the 39th minute of the first half, Sports Toto gatekeeper Ryu Ji-soo blocked Kang Chae-rim's shot from the right side of the box. Ryu Ji-soo, who moved from Seoul City Hall to Sports Toto this season after the retirement of veteran goalkeeper Kang Ga-ae, defended his last shot with a stable save. In the 44th minute of the first half, Sports Toto's counterattack, veteran national university graduate Jeong Seol-bin missed a shot opportunity after chest trapping at the gate. They finished 0-0 in the first half.

With the start of the second half, Sejong Sports Toto put Shin Dam-young and Shin Hye-in. In the second half, Suwon continued its fierce offensive around Kang Chae-rim's right side. Meghan's goal shot was slightly missed in the 10th minute of the second half. Meghan's shot, which took over the second ball immediately after Ryu Ji-soo's punching at a corner kick chance in the 19th minute of the second half, was narrowly missed. In the second half, head coach Park Gil-young put in place of Millennium, Seo Jin-ju, and Meghan instead of Song Jae-eun, Kwon Eun-som and Han Han-in. In the 22nd minute of the second half, Lee Young-seo's shot hit the bottom of the net. It was the most decisive chance. In the 24th minute of the second half, Lee Yoo-jin, who had been revitalizing the attack, was replaced by Lee Jin-joo, complaining of calf pain. Suwon goalkeeper Kim Kyung-hee received Shin Hye-bin's mid-range shot in the 30th minute of the second half. A lull followed later. In the 39th minute of the second half, Suwon's striker Kim Ga-yeon, born in 2003, instead of Lee Young-seo, threw the last game. In the 43rd minute of the second half, Sports Toto's non-stop shot missed to the right side of the net. In the extra time of the second half, Suwon FC's defense blocked Sports Toto's onslaught, and the two teams drew 0-0 for the second consecutive year following last year's opening game. Suwon FC Women continued to win the match against Sejong Sports Toto, and Sejong Sports Toto postponed its first win against Suwon FC Women to the next.

Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.