It’s win-or-go-home as FC "Gukdae Family" and FC Bulnabi square off for a spot in the semifinals.
The Oct. 1 episode of SBS’s "Kick a Goal" spotlights the first Round of 6 matchup in the GIFA Cup. With Jeong Jae-eun and Si Eun-mi shoring up "Gukdae Family", and Bulnabi riding new head coach Kim Young-kwang’s momentum, the two sides clash for a ticket to the final four.
There’s a twist: a high-score wild card is in play, meaning even a losing side can reach the semis if it racks up the most goals. Expect both clubs to push forward and trade punches in an all-out shootout.
Head-to-head, Bulnabi holds a 2-1 edge across three meetings, but one of those wins came before the team’s rebrand from “Bulnabang,” so in the current era it’s essentially a 1-1 deadlock. Add in Bulnabi’s recent, painful comeback loss to its toughest foe in the G League group stage, and this one’s as unpredictable as it gets.
Another headline: the “Sworn Brothers Derby” between coaches whose bond dates back to middle school. "Gukdae Family"’s Baek Ji-hoon fired the first shot―“That first win won’t be easy today”―to which Bulnabi’s Kim Young-kwang answered, “You’ll see how much Bulnabi has changed.” The banter is spicy, and the stakes even higher.
Fresh off an applauded debut against Phoenix Utd that featured bold tactical changes, Kim rolls out more wrinkles. He plans to deploy Lee Seung-yeon as a versatile piece who can toggle between striker and winger, while cranking up a high press with the back line pushed forward. To fix the cramp issues that plagued the squad in the "Gukdae Family" match, he’s amped up conditioning and even brought in a performance coach on game day to manage muscle fatigue. We’ll see if Kim’s gambles spark another Bulnabi surge.
A special guest also lit up the sidelines: former KBO star Kim Tae-kyun, nicknamed the “On-Base God,” dropped by. With ties to "Gukdae Family"’s Si Eun-mi and Bulnabi coach Kim Young-kwang, he split his cheers evenly―and amped up the atmosphere for a fierce, can’t-miss showdown.
Bulnabi’s all-out push for the semis plays out on "Kick a Goal", airing Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)