Strikers Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton) and Mithoma Kaoru (Brighton and Hove Albion), who represent South Korea and Japan, will play a “Korea-Japan match” in the round of 16 of the 2023-2024 English Football Association (FA) Cup.
Wolverhampton will face Brighton at home between February 27 and 29 local time as a result of the FA Cup round of 16 draw held on the 29th (Korea time).
Brighton are seventh in the English Premier League (EPL) this season, while Wolverhampton is 11th.
Wolverhampton lost 1-4 against Brighton on August 21 last year in their first showdown in the 2023-2024 EPL second round, and drew 0-0 in round 21, their second match of the season on the 23rd.
As the two teams faced off in the round of 16 of the FA Cup, Hwang Hee-chan and Mitoma’s “Korea-Japan striker” pride match also naturally emerged as a concern for fans.
Hwang Hee-chan and Mitoma are representing both countries at the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup side by side, and if South Korea and Japan reach the final side by side, the two will face off one after another in Qatar and the United Kingdom.마카오토토도메인
Hwang Hee-chan overwhelms Mitoma in terms of his personal performance this season.
Hwang Hee-chan scored “double-digit goals” with 11 goals and 3 assists in the season, combining 10 goals and 3 assists in the EPL and 1 goal in the League Cup.
On the other hand, Mitoma scored three goals and four assists in the EPL and one in the Europa League, scoring three goals and five assists in the season, falling behind Hwang Hee-chan in attack points.
Meanwhile, Maidstone United, which caused a “sixth-division sensation” in the FA Cup this season, will compete with the winner of the 32nd round rematch between Sheffield Wednesday (second division) and Coventry City (second division) in the round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Founded in 1992, Maidstone was the lowest in the fifth division last season and was relegated to the sixth division this season.
Starting from the first round of the FA Cup, Maidstone won one victory after another and beat Ipswich Town of the Championship (minor two) 2-1 in the round of 32 to advance to the round of 16.
It is the first time in 46 years that a sixth-division team has reached the round of 16 in the FA Cup since Blyth Spartans in the 1977-1978 season.
In particular, Madestone midfielder Sam Cohn scored three goals and tied for third in the FA Cup scoring rankings this season.