Korean Cup Second Round - 5 fixtures to look out for | OneFootball

The Korean Cup Second Round will take place at the weekend, with the exception of Suwon Samsung vs. Seoul E-Land. The all-K League 2 affair was moved to this Wednesday because the Suwon World Cup Stadium will be used for Korea Republic's qualifier with Oman.

Three fixtures - Gimpo FC vs. Gijang, Incheon United vs. Chuncheon Citizen, and Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Yeoju FC - have changed location. Gijang, Chuncheon, and Yeoju were originally drawn with home advantage, but those ties have since been moved to the K League 2 grounds. All three matches would have been worth watching out for had the draw not been altered. However, only the game in Bucheon is, as the other two are a formality.

The draw is full:

Wednesday:

Match 30: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (K League 2) vs. Seoul E-Land (K league 2).

Saturday:

Match 15: Siheung Citizen (K3) vs. Seongnam FC (K League 2).

Match 17: Gangneung FC (K3) vs. Chungnam Asan FC (K League 2).

Match 19: Gimpo FC (K League 2) vs. Gijang United (K4).

Match 21: Sejong (K4) vs. Jeonnam Dragons (K League 2).

Match 23: Daejeon Korail (K3) vs. Chungbuk Cheongju (K League 2).

Match 24: Changwon FC (K3) vs. Namyangju Citizen (K4).

Sunday:

Match 16: Hwaseong FC (K League 2) vs. Jinju Citizen (K4).

Match 18: Ansan Greeners (K League 2). vs. Pyeongtaek Citizen (K4).

Match 20: Cheonan City FC (K league 2) vs. Pocheon Citizen (K3).

Match 22: Gimhae City Hall vs. (K3) vs. Geoje Citizen (K4).

Match 25: Busan Transportation (K3) vs. Busan IPark (K League 2).

Match 26: Gyeongju KHNP (K3) vs. Paju Citizen (K3).

Match 27: Incheon United (K League 2) vs. Chuncheon Citizen (K3).

Match 28: Gyeongnam FC (K League 2) vs. Pyeongchang United (K4).

Match 29: Bucheon FC 1995 (K League 2) vs. Yeoju FC (K3).

1. Match 30: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (K League 2) vs. Seoul E-Land (K league 2).

Suwon have a massive Seoul-sized problem in their record books. The Bluewings have lost all four matches against E-Land and Kim Do-kyun since dropping down to the second division last year. Their most recent loss, 4-2 in Mokdong earlier this month, was wretched. They do have FA Cup pedigree however, having lifted the cup on five occasions, joint second for victories behind Pohang Steelers. And it was the Steelers who knocked Suwon out of the cup last season. Seoul, on the other hand, have yet to advance beyond the Round of 16. Last year they beat Daejeon Korail away on penalties before losing to city rivals FC Seoul in Mokdong.

The winners will travel to K League 1's Gimcheon Sangmu next month.

2. Match 15: Siheung Citizen (K3) vs. Seongnam FC (K League 2).

Seongnam have started K League 2 in great form, going unbeaten in their opening four games. But the visit to Siheung will not be as easy as one might imagine. Siheung are defending K3 champions but weren't promoted because that avenue isn't open yet. They also won K3 in 2018 and have two 2nd placed finishes to their name. In the cup, their best result was reaching the third round. The Magpies are three-time cup winners, but the last of those was back in 2014 - happier times for the club from the banks of the Tancheon. But they did make it to the quarter-finals last season, going 2-0 down in Gwangju before tying the game late on. Gwangju eventually prevailed after extra time. This is the first meeting between Siheung and Seongnam FC.

The winners will be home to either Hwaseong FC or Jinju Citizen next month.

3. Match 25: Busan Transportation (K3) vs. Busan IPark (K League 2).

The second meeting of Busan rivals Transportation and IPark takes place at the stadium both teams call home. IPark won the previous tie, back in 2016, by a score of 3-0 at Gudeok Stadium. Busan Transportation confirmed this fixture by winning at near neighbors Yangsan in the previous round. Due to the odd number of teams in K3, they have only played one match so far, meaning they will have a two week rest before hosting Busan IPark. The visitors, like Seongnam and Suwon above, are former winners of the cup. Their sole success came back in 2004, but they have made two finals since. Last year they went out to Gimcheon Sangmu, only a few months after the army team stole the championship from under their noses.

The winners will have home advantage over Suwon FC in April.

4. Match 29: Bucheon FC 1995 (K League 2) vs. Yeoju FC (K3).

Switching this tie from Yeoju to Bucheon has undoubtedly given the K League 2 side a major advantage but if there is one club from that division who could lose to lower tier opposition, it is Bucheon. They flatter to deceive often, such as this season, when they were joint-top after two matches and then lost at home to the then-winless Busan IPark. Bucheon did, however, advance to the fourth round in 2024 after consecutive 2-1 victories over K3 opposition. Their best finish was reaching the semi-finals in 2016. Yeoju overcame fellow K3 side Mokpo in penalties in the tie of the first round. Since entering the cup for the first time in 2018, only once have they advanced to the third round. Hwaseong sent them packing in 2024. This is their first meeting.

The winners will be at home against Jeju SK. A meeting of the former and current Bucheon clubs to look forward to?

5. Match 23: Daejeon Korail (K3) vs. Chungbuk Cheongju (K League 2).

This will be the first cup meeting between Daejeon Korail and Cheongju, but they have met in the league before. In 2023, Cheongju decided to go fully professional and swapped 14th in K3 (out of 16 teams) for life in K League 2. Until that point, Daejeon and Cheongju were regular opponents in the league. The major difference between the clubs is Daejeon's cup history compared to Cheongju's. Cheongju have never advanced beyond the round of 16 but Daejeon Korail made the final in 2019 (losing to Suwon Samsung) and the semis in 2005 (when they were based in Incheon). Cheongju went out to Seongnam FC on penalties last year, the same fate which befell Daejeon Korail. Their opponents were Seoul E-Land.