Suwon: The South Korean league All-Star squad set to face Newcastle United in a friendly match replaced two players Monday. The Korea Professional Football League (K League) said Pohang Steelers defender Lee Tae-seok and Daejeon Hana Citizen defender Kim Moon-hwan will not be available for Team K League against Newcastle at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, both players had been voted on to the starting XI by fans, with Lee finishing second in votes and Kim ranking fourth. However, Kim sustained an unspecified injury during a recent K League match. Lee is finalizing a move to Austria Wien in the top Austrian league.
In their stead, the K League selected Pohang defender Eo Jeong-won and FC Anyang defender Thomas Oude Kotte. Eo is in his second season with Pohang after splitting the three previous seasons with second-division clubs Busan IPark and Gimpo FC. He has emerged as a fixture on Pohang's defense this year. Thomas, as he is called in the K League, has a goal and an assist in 23 matches this year, his first in South Korea.