The weather here has seen quite a bit variation recently. It snowed twice last week (though technically it was more like sleet), Saturday saw a bunch of yellow dust (황사; hwangsa) find its way over from China, Sunday included perfect blue skies, and today was warm enough where I went around in short sleeves -- much to the envy of my students. I made my way up to Pocheon over the weekend to catch the second round of Korea's FA Cup, and of course it was the day we had all the yellow dust.
![](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4450068619_9653efbf54.jpg)
Yellow dust as seen from Pocheon Stadium
Pocheon is located about an hour north of Uijeongbu by bus and I made the trip there on my own. My new friend from the Jeonbuk match two weeks ago was interested in joining me before she heard that it would involve a four hour trip for her to make it to Pocheon's stadium and back home. What made the match a little more appealing is that it saw last seaon's K3 champions Pocheon Citizen (포천시민축구단) face a side from Dongguk University (동국대학교) that finished second in the U-League. While the game ended with 4 goals it was Dongguk that came away with a 1:3 victory.
One interesting observation about the experience was that I didn't spot a single taxi out on the streets of Pocheon in the time that I spent near the city (err, town) center, but came across four of them in the parking lot of the stadium. Guess all the taxi drivers in town are soccer fans? For those interested, here's a write-up I posted to a Korean soccer forum followed by some pictures:
Went to the Pocheon-Dongguk match and have to say Dongguk really deserved to win. The university side scored their first goal in minute 7 and had a couple of other decent chances before Pocheon equalized through a penalty in minute 29. At one point the Pocheon keeper was caught out and the ball rolled tantalizingly across the face of goal but nobody could get to it in time to poke it in. The penalty seemed rather dubious to me - a guy ended up on the ground after everyone jumped up for a cross - but they had a decent appeal for a handball turned down in the second half, so I guess it evens out.
Donguk scored their second go-ahead goal in the 51st minute and grabbed their third in minute 80. Wind was a major factor during the game (half the sponsor boards were knocked over midway through the second half) but, overall, Pocheon's passing was absolute rubbish. Too hard, too soft, inaccurate ... they even had a throw-in near the Dongguk goal that went straight to a group of 3 Dongguk players without a single Pocheon player nearby. To be fair, in the second half they had one shot hit the crossbar and missed out on another chance when Dongguk's keeper got a fingertip on the ball to nudge it over the bar. Very unimaginative play overall though.
Dongguk stuck with short corner kicks for the whole game and that seemed to serve them well. The top three players of the match were Dongguk's #27, #18, and #10. Pocheon's keeper was probably their best player, though a couple of mix-ups with the defense should have cost the side a couple more goals. Does nobody in the team know how to call "yours!" or "mine!" when there's a loose ball in the penalty area and an onrushing player from the opposing side? Finally ... I think there might have been more Dongguk supporters than Pocheon fans in the stadium!
![](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4450836942_1e586cd037_m.jpg)
![](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4450838964_ef03aa81d7_m.jpg)
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4459780841_de3b2dc273_m.jpg)
Haitai (해태) guarding Pocheon Stadium | Pocheon v Dongguk in midfield | Police station poster in central Pocheon
![](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4450066261_0b43d41099.jpg)
Pocheon players before the kick-off
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/4450067835_72d559d33b.jpg)
Pocheon's lone goal came from this penalty kick
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2681/4450841260_074f19d716.jpg)
The home side did have a shot hit the crossbar following a corner kick
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4450841890_ba756d55c6.jpg)
Pocheon ultras