On May 14, the CBT reporters visited Cheongju Sports Complex, the home stadium of Chungbuk Cheongju FC, to watch the match between Chungbuk Cheongju FC and Ansan Greeners in the 13th round of K League, Cheongju Sports Complex is located in the center of Cheongju, and it is easy to access from anywhere in Cheongju by public transportation. Moreover, visitors from other areas, it is comfortable to visit within 30 minutes directly by taking a bus from the Cheongju Intercity Bus Terminal. Although it was 50 minutes before the kick-off when this CBT reporters arrived at Cheongju Sports Complex, people were already crowded around the stadium.

  First, the CBT reporters began adventure at the West Gate where people were most crowded and specifically at the fan store. Various goods of Chungbuk Cheongju FC are sold. It had various products for fans to stimulate their purchasing desires, including not only uniforms but also mufflers, tumblers, and pop socets. The most popular product in the fan store was absolutely the uniforms. The fan store representative explained that the uniforms of the three foreign players, Paulinho, Jorge, Peter, as well as the captain’s team Ryu Won-woo, Kim Myung-soon, Kim Won-gun, and the team’s key midfielder, Chang Hyuk-jin, were the best-selling. She also mentioned that footballs, keyrings, mufflers, and badges were top-selling goods. In addition, Chungbuk Cheongju FC also operates an online fan store, so fans can explore various goods anytime. Furthermore, there were food trucks around the stadium to enhance the enjoyment of watching the match. Since the match was scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., many spectators were visiting the food trucks.

  Next, the CBT reporters headed to the ticket booth to purchase tickets to enter the stadium. The seat sector that people can choose also determines the various points of entertainment that people can experience during the match. The seat sectors are divided into table seats, chicken seats, non-designated seats in the north and west sectors, designated seats in the south, and away team seats. Table seats and chicken seats are sold as sets for two people and are located in the central-southern part of the stadium, having excellent views. Among them, chicken seats are seats where people can enjoy chicken and drinks, and they are only available for online purchase until the day before the match. Non-designated seats are located in the north and west sectors and caution is necessary when leaving and moving around. There is a small difference in the view between the north and west seats. Because Cheongju sports complex has a track around the field, it is oval-shaped, leaving a large space behind the goalpost, so the view from the west side is quite distant compared to the northern sector. In the north H6 sector, the supporters of Chungbuk Cheongju FC, Ultra NNN, are located. If people want to cheer with the supporters, sing chants, and shout slogans with passion, it is recommended to reserve non-designated seats in the north sector. However, there may be some obstacles in the view because of the flags waved by the supporters. The designated seats are located in the south sector and there is no concern about losing seat even when moving around. However, the first and second rows have fences to prevent falling into the field, so there may be some limitations in the view. Visiting team fans can only enter the stadium into visiting team sectors, and if someone supports the visiting team or wears their merchandise in seats other than visiting seating, they would be required to change seats or leave the stadium.

  After purchasing the tickets and entering the stadium, the CBT reporters could see the players of both teams training hard and the spectators were waiting for the match with high anticipation. Park Tae-jin, who visited the stadium with his children, had high expectations for the team. He said, “The weather is nice today, and my children and I love football, so we came here. Chungbuk Cheongju FC has not had a home match victory for a while, but they won their first home match against Cheonan City FC. Ansan Greeners has a similar ranking, and they are a team we can beat, so I hope we can continue this momentum and win a victory today.”

  Chungbuk Cheongju FC and Ansan Greeners were ranked 11th and 10th in the K League 2. This match was significant for both teams. It was an important match for Chungbuk Cheongju FC as they aimed for their first consecutive two wins since they entered K league 2. After winning the opening match, they had failed to secure a victory in 10 matches in a row, and they had been struggling with a goal drought in the last five matches. However, their 2-1 victory against Cheonan City FC in the 12th round has turned the tables. The team’s top scorer, Jorge, who scored the winning goal in the match against Cheonan City FC, was expected to lead the team’s attack as a starter in this match. Ansan Greeners had a decent performance in their recent five matches, recording 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 loss, including earning points against high ranked teams. Particularly, forward Gabriel, who scored 3 goals and 1 assist in the last four matches, was identified as the top remarkable player.

  Finally, the match began, and the players entered the field. There was a unique scene during the player’s entrance. As part of an event to celebrate Teachers’ Day, teachers from the applying class who participated in the event held the hands of the players and entered the field. Then, their students were behind them and pinned carnations to the teachers’ chests. After the meaningful event, the match started. Chungbuk Cheongju FC came out with a 3-5-2 formation, focusing on solid defense and concentrated attacks on both sides. In midfield, Peter played for ball distribution on box to box for the team’s ball progression. Ansan Greeners played an intense press against Chungbuk Cheongju FC. However, due to Ansan Greeners’s aggressive play, many fouls were committed, and even in the 8 minute of the match, Chungbuk Cheongju FC’s player, Hong Sung-min, suffered an injury. The first half was dominated by Chungbuk Cheongju FC, but Ansan Greeners created more threatening opportunities, and the first half ended 0-0. The second half was also completely dominated by Chungbuk Cheongju FC. Just 6 minutes into the second half, in a corner kick, Hong Won-jin put the goal in the back of the net with a header from Jang Hyuk-jin’s cross. The stadium was excited with cheers and the atmosphere of spectators was encouraging. As Ansan Greeners conceded a goal, they became more focused on attacking, but Chungbuk Cheongju FC took advantage of this situation. In the 19 minute of the second half, in a counterattack, Peter got a pass from Jang Hyuk-jin and calmly scored the goal in front of the penalty ark. In addition, in the 24 minute, Lee Min-hyeong headed in Jang Hyuk-jin’s corner kick, making it 3-0 for Chungbuk Cheongju FC. The three consecutive goals in a short time turned the stadium into a festival. Chungbuk Cheongju FC continued to dominate the match for the rest of time. The spectators had been convinced of the victory and cheered the players even louder. At the very end of the match, they waved their cell phone’s flashlights. In the injury time, one Chungbuk Cheongju FC player was sent off, but the team still prevailed in the match and secured a 3-0 victory.

  Chungbuk Cheongju FC’s historic first consecutive victory was celebrated with joyful cheers at the Cheongju Sports Complex. The players approached fans who cheered them passionately and fans also applauded and cheered for the players who had given their all on the field. As a gesture of gratitude, the players threw Chungbuk Cheongju FC merchandise dolls to the fans and took photos together. The long excitement led the fans to gather at the players’ departure and take photos and receive autographs. Through the passion of the players and the enthusiastic fans, it was evident that Chungbuk Cheongju FC could truly unite Cheongju citizens. Lee Soo-a, who attended the match, expressed her emotion, “Today’s match was so thrilling and happy. I will visit again to cheer them. If they perform well like today, Chungbuk Cheongju FC can be a great means to unite Cheongju citizens.”

  This Chungbuk Cheongju FC match was a festival where the enthusiastic atmosphere and the joy of victory could be felt. It will provide a great opportunity for CBNU students to relieve their stress.