Terry Antonis sees red as Korea’s K League leads way for live football

Two Australian players were at the heart of the action as Korea’s K League led the way in the return to live soccer action.

Socceroos and Suwon Bluewings striker Adam Taggart, right, tries his luck against Jeonbuk during the opening game of South Korea’s K League season in Jeonju on Friday night. Picture: AFP

Soccer made its long-awaited return on Friday night with Korea’s K League kicking off its 2020 season with champions Jeonbuk Motors beating Suwon Bluewings 1-0.

The 42,000-capacity Jeonju World Cup Stadium was closed to supporters and the few people present in the ground, including South Korea manager Paulo Bento, members of the media and ground staff, all wore masks.

Pre-match handshakes were also ruled out, and with coaches and substitutes from both sides also wore masks on the sidelines in a match that had Australian pair Terry Antonis and Adam Taggart, last season’s top scorer in the K League, line up for the visiting Suwon side.

The opening half produced limited goalscoring opportunities but the hosts dominated the second half before veteran striker Dong-Gook Lee, the oldest player in the competition at 41, nodded into the net seven minutes from time.

Despite being on the back foot for most of the second period the Suwon defence were comfortably holding out Jeonbuk, with a penalty shout for handball against Canadian Doneil Henry ruled out by VAR, the closest they came to scoring. However, the match was turned in favour in of the home side when former Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory midfielder Antonis was shown a straight red card for a late challenge, leaving his side to play out the final 15 minutes with 10 men.

Taggart was immediately sacrificed for a midfielder as Suwon tried to hold on for a point, only to for Lee to seal the victory in the 83rd minute.

Lee, who has been capped 105 times by his country, ghosted in front of the previously impressive Henry at the front post to flick home a corner as the champions began their title defence with a win.

With fans around the world long deprived of live sport, the K League, whose start was delayed two months by the pandemic, has signed season-long rights deals with broadcasters who will show games live in 36 countries and territories including Britain, Germany and Australia.

And the BBC secured a one-off deal for the opening match, which was livestreamed on its website.

“Football is back!” the British broadcaster proclaimed, noting it had been 59 days since the last Premier League match.

AAP