K-League XI Stun Struggling Newcastle in Pre-Season Shock
Well, it’s been another tough day for Newcastle United fans, as the Magpies’ rocky pre-season tour has taken a turn for the worse. In a surprising twist, Eddie Howe’s side was handed a 1-0 defeat by a K-League XI in Suwon, South Korea – a result that’s only deepened concerns ahead of the new Premier League season.
This was Newcastle’s first-ever appearance in South Korea, but instead of marking it with a positive performance, they were undone by a composed finish from Jin-gyu Kim in the 36th minute. His goal ultimately proved to be the difference as the K-League’s best walked away with the win, leaving Newcastle with plenty of questions to answer.
The match followed a 3-2 loss to Arsenal in Singapore, making it three defeats on the bounce now for the Magpies after also falling to Celtic earlier in the tour. And while it’s still pre-season, the form—or lack of it—won’t be settling any nerves back home.
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Eddie Howe made a few changes for this clash. Tino Livramento, Lewis Miley, and Emil Krafth were all brought into the starting XI, while some notable names like Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier were either rested or left out. Seung-soo Park, who recently joined Newcastle from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings, got his debut in the final minutes in front of his home fans, adding a local storyline to an otherwise disappointing night for the visitors.
Newcastle did create some chances early on. Anthony Gordon volleyed just wide, and Joe Willock forced a save with a deflected cross. Anthony Elanga, who scored against Arsenal, was lively again and nearly found the net with a powerful shot tipped over by K-League keeper Hyeon-woo Jo. William Osula also had a couple of chances but couldn’t beat the inspired goalkeeper.
The heat didn’t help either—it was over 30°C on the pitch—but the conditions were the same for both teams. Newcastle simply couldn’t find a way through, and to be fair, the K-League side looked sharp, organized, and up for the occasion.
As the clock ticked down, there was a brief hope when young keeper Max Thompson and winger Park were introduced, but they couldn’t change the outcome. The final whistle brought another blow to what’s becoming a frustrating summer for Newcastle—a summer that’s already been overshadowed by missed transfer targets and Alexander Isak reportedly eyeing a move to Liverpool.
It’s still early days, but fans will be hoping for a swift turnaround in form with tougher tests just around the corner.
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