Gangneung City finished top of both the National League second stage and combined rankings tables as they rounded off their regular season campaign with a comfortable 5-1 victory away to Yesan to book their spot in the post-season championship playoff semi-finals.
Gangneung will enjoy home advantage and play host to Suwon City on November 12th after Suwon qualified by having the second best overall record of the non stage-winning sides. They were made to work for the points by a resilient Changwon City side, and it took a Reginaldo de Souza penalty with eighteen minutes remaining to secure a 2-1 win.
First stage winners Daejeon Hydro & Nuclear Power ended their season with a 2-1 defeat away to Gimhae FC, but they will host Goyang Kookmin Bank in the other playoff semi-final after the 2003, 2004 and 2006 National League champions recorded a 2-0 win away at Mokpo City. That result ensured Goyang finished second overall to Gangneung City in the combined standings, ahead of Suwon City on goal difference.
Busan Transportation Corporation had gone into the final day of fixtures in second place in the overall standings but their playoff dreams were crushed as they lost out 3-2 to Chungju Hummel. Lee Yong-seung had given Busan the best possible start by putting them ahead in the first minute, however they fell 3-1 down on the hour, and though Kim Ki-bum pulled them to within a goal of the hosts they were unable to pull the game back and fell short of the playoffs at the final hurdle.
The semi-finals will take place on November 12th with the two winners facing off in the home-and-away championship playoff final to determine the 2010 National League champions.
National League Results (Saturday November 6th, 2010)
Chungju Hummel 3-2 Busan TC
Gimhae 2-1 Daejeon HNP
Changwon City 1-2 Suwon City
Yesan 1-5 Gangneung City
Mokpo City 0-2 Goyang KB
Ulsan Mipo 0-0 Incheon Korail
Ansan Hallelujah 0-1 Yongin City
National League Championship Playoff Semi-finals (Friday November 12th 2010)
Gangneung City v Suwon City
Daejeon Hydro & Nuclear Power v Goyang Kookmin Bank
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Penalty kicks were required in both of today’s K3 League championship semi-finals after both ties finished goalless at the end of normal and extra time.
Samcheok Sinwoo Electronics, who lost out on away goals to Yangju Citizen in the 2008 championship playoff final in their previous location as Hwaseong, ended Yangju’s hopes of becoming the first side to win the K3 League title a second time. Despite having Lee Hyo-sik sent off in the 55th minute, Samcheok weathered a storm of attack from visitors Yangju and emerged victorious by a 6-5 scoreline in the penalty shootout.
Their opponents in the championship playoff final will by Gyeongju Citizen as they defeated hosts Icheon Citizen 4-2 in the shootout after the game finished goalless.
The first leg of the K3 League championship playoff final will take place on Saturday November 13th in Samcheok before the second leg in Gyeongju on November 20th.
K3 League Championship Playoff Semi-final Results (Saturday November 6th, 2010)
Samcheok Sinwoo Electronics 0-0 Yangju Citizen (Samcheok won 6-5 on penalties)
Icheon Citizen 0-0 Gyeongju Citizen (Gyeongju won 4-2 on penalties)
Both Gyeonggi teams lost in the semifinals..wow. Gangneung and Samcheok doing well. Good year for Gangwon-do. Looks like 박요셉 missed out.