Vol. 09, Issue 11 November 2009 
Ulsan Cup 2009
As the early sun dispersed the last of the dawn mist on a mild September morning, twenty-two men were standing in a field by a river, waiting. Moments later, a whistle sounded, and so set the ball rolling in the 2009 Ulsan Cup.
Expat football is currently flourishing in Korea. Only a few years ago there were barely a dozen ‘foreigner’ teams in existence, but these days there are some thirty-plus teams playing across the country, with leagues in place in Seoul and its surrounding area, and in Gyeongsan-do (the SSFL and KFFL respectively).
Gwangju’s own expat team, Gwangju Inter FC, is one of the oldest in Korea, founded in 2002. Like so many good things, it began in a bar, when a few English teachers committed to start playing football regularly together. It’s grown ever since. Inter lost in the Plate final of last year’s Ulsan tournament, but this year went one place better.
The Ulsan Cup is currently the only foreigner soccer tournament in the country, and this was its second incarnation, following a successful debut in 2008. This year thirteen teams from eight different cities made the journey to the east coast to take part. Teams were divided into four groups, with the top two from the round-robin games advancing to the quarterfinals of the main Cup competition, and the remaining teams dropping into the Plate contest. The four losing Cup quarterfinalists were then handed a second chance, as they also transferred to the Plate. The format meant a busy schedule, with thirty-three games crammed into the weekend, but ensured each team was guaranteed at least four games over the two days, so no one had to go home early.
Gwangju Inter took a squad of seventeen players on the four hour trip to Ulsan, but were unable to find a recognised goalkeeper, meaning outfield players had to share the keeper’s shirt. The draw for the group stages placed Inter together with both of last year’s Cup finalists, and scheduled a 9 a.m. kickoff for the opening game, despite the long distance to travel. The team lost the first match to Daegu Devils, but then responded well with an excellent 3-1 victory over defending champions Busan United, which saw Gwangju qualify for the knock-out stages of the Cup event.
The tournament was hosted by Ulsan’s local expat team, the Wonshot Wanderers FC, in partnership with the Ulsan Amateur Football League. The whole event was well planned and organised, with games played simultaneously on two artificial turf pitches by the banks of the river. Food and drink were available pitchside, as well as souvenir T-shirts. Shuttle buses ran between the main hotel, the fields, and the World Cup Convention Centre, where all teams were required to attend an official buffet function on the Saturday evening.
Additionally, the tournament organizers had managed to agree a deal with a local broadcasting company, UTV News (www.utvnews.co.kr), who streamed games live on the Internet. TV cameras, crew and commentators were present by the main field, so friends and family at home and abroad could also follow the action.
Gwangju’s Cup quarterfinal was against SBFC, from Seoul. The match was Inter’s third that day, and proved to be a game too far, with a tired performance resulting in defeat. Seoul-based teams clearly benefitted from the wider pool of footballing talent available in the larger metropolis, and it was no surprise that two teams from the capital, SBFC and Seoul Celtic, went on to contest the Cup final together, which Celtic won to become overall Cup champions.
The defeat saw Gwangju drop into the Plate competition the following day, but thereafter they were undefeated, first getting past neighbours Suncheon IFC in the Plate quarterfinal, and then gaining revenge for the group-stage loss to Daegu Devils by eliminating them in the Plate semifinal.
This set up an all-Jeolla final against local rivals Jeonju. A hard-fought, tightly-contested game saw Gwangju come from behind to win 2-1, with Matt French and Jaime Cruz scoring for Inter, to become 2009 Plate champions. Joe Madden and Jaime Cruz were voted Gwangju’s MVPs for the tournament, while Pete Maddox was the team’s top scorer. Every team member played a part though in contributing to a memorable weekend.
“The tournament was good last year, and it’s been a great success this year too. It’s well organized, and everyone gets to play lots of football. We’ve done well to win the Plate this year, and next time we’ll be aiming for the Cup,” said Inter midfielder, Chris Lashwood, after the final game.
And so at the end of it all, as the sun slowly set behind the river, exhausted and sun-burned footballers were shaking hands, sharing photos and enjoying a hard-earned beer or two. And after the presentation of trophies to the winners, a few speeches and official photos, it was time to set off on the long journey back home … with the promise to meet again next year.
By Gwangju Inter FC
