It's hotter than the players directly participating in the match. Fans of FC Anyang and FC Seoul are showcasing the best cheering battle in K League 1. Can the enthusiasm of the fans lead to a thrilling game?

FC Anyang and FC Seoul are in a showdown at Anyang Sports Complex at 7 p.m. on the 6th for the Hana Bank K League 1 2025 Round 12. Currently, with the first half over, both teams are locked in a 0-0 stalemate.

This is the second 'interest derby' of the season and the first match being held at Anyang Sports Complex between the two teams. The long 'Karma' between Anyang and Seoul began in 2004 when the LG Cheetahs, which had relocated from Seoul to Anyang due to government policy, announced their return to Seoul, leaving Anyang. Since then, Anyang was founded in 2013 and competed in K League 2, and after winning the championship last season, met with Seoul as rivals in K League 1.

The tension between the two teams ignited at the media day before the opening. At that time, Anyang's manager Yoo Byung-hoon said, "When Anyang LG Cheetahs transferred to Seoul, the citizens of Anyang experienced pain and anger. That’s how Anyang was founded. And after being promoted 11 years later, we are able to stand here. Rather than a resolution, I want to show that that time was not in vain," he emphasized.

In response, Seoul's manager Kim Gi-dong did not remain silent. He said, "I don't know much as a manager about other things. However, I would appreciate it if you would revise the 'transfer' to 'return'. I believe that such matters should first be organized by the federation, not by the managers." Fans from both teams responded with enthusiastic applause to each manager's statements.

In the first match held in February, Seoul came out on top. At that time, Seoul defeated Anyang 2-1 with consecutive goals from captain Lingard and Lucas in front of an audience exceeding 40,000 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Before the match that day, manager Yoo Byung-hoon said, "Seoul visited Anyang's home stadium for the first time in 21 years. First of all, welcome. To uphold the determination to win at home, I prepared well with the players," pledging revenge.

The cheering battle from the fans is hotter than ever. That day, the Anyang Sports Complex's 10,331 seats sold out early. According to Anyang officials, selling all seats online is a first in the club's history. The home variable seats are also reported to have sold out in just one minute.

The enthusiasm of the Seoul fans is equally intense. The 1,218 away seats allocated to the Seoul club were all sold out in just 5 seconds after online sales began. It was literally a ticket war. In response, manager Kim Gi-dong laughed and said, "I wonder if we didn't give enough seats, causing the 5-second sellout. It would have been nice if we had given more seats, which is a bit disappointing."

The fans of both teams continue their cheering battle even after kickoff. The Anyang supporters 'A.S.U. RED' shouted 'Sukabati Anyang' alongside fans filling the W and E sections with a purple wave. Seoul supporters 'Guardian Deity' are not to be outdone, waving red flags and creating a spectacular scene. They are responding vigorously to every call, matching the intensity of the players.

Meanwhile, no goals were scored until the end of the first half. Although Seoul recorded a higher possession rate than Anyang, they did not create any threatening scenes. Conversely, Anyang earned a penalty kick in the 32nd minute of the first half, but it was canceled after an on-field review. The outcome between the two teams is expected to be decided in the 45 minutes of the second half.

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