South Korea did not promote out their World Cup qualifying match in Seoul on Thursday, the primary time since October final 12 months that the Taegeuk Warriors didn’t play in entrance of a full home at residence.
The Korea Soccer Affiliation (KFA) mentioned about 4,000 tickets had been left unsold an hour earlier than the 8 p.m. kickoff for the Group B match of the third spherical within the Asian World Cup qualification between South Korea and Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The stadium seats about 65,000.
South Korea had final did not promote out at residence on Oct. 13 final 12 months, with 59,018 followers readily available for a pleasant in opposition to Tunisia.
The crew offered out the subsequent 4 matches at residence — a pleasant versus Vietnam at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, simply south of Seoul, and World Cup qualifying matches in opposition to Singapore in November, Thailand in March and China in June.
The KFA had raised costs for tickets within the residence supporter part behind the purpose on the north finish of the stadium, from 35,000 received ($26.20) to 50,000 received. Costs for tickets in another sections went up by as a lot as 10,000 received.
The KFA defined that it solely adopted the rules set by the Asian Soccer Confederation, which asks host nations to make sure costs for tickets offered to away groups don’t exceed these obtainable to followers for the house crew.
Cynics claimed that the KFA was attempting to take cash out of followers’ pockets to fund development of a brand new nationwide soccer middle within the central city of Cheonan, and to assist pay for the buyout owed to former head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was fired in February.
Some followers had additionally mentioned they’d boycott this match to point out their displeasure with the way in which the KFA dealt with its teaching hiring course of following Klinsmann’s dismissal.
After interviewing foreign-born candidates, the KFA abruptly turned to homegrown tactician Hong Myung-bo, who had beforehand coached South Korea from 2013 to 2014.
Followers have been indignant on the manner the KFA virtually pleaded with Hong to take the job after failing to achieve a cope with different candidates, and the way in which Hong did an about-face to just accept the provide after publicly spurning the KFA’s overtures.
Those that selected to attend the match demonstrated their indignation in different methods. Boos rained down on Hong when he was launched earlier than the match. Then after the 2 groups’ nationwide anthems, supporters known as for the pinnacle of the KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, chanting “Chung Mong-gyu, get out!” whereas holding up just a few banners taking photographs at each Chung and Hong.
Followers additionally booed Hong at any time when he was proven on the stadium’s two scoreboards.
