K League R20 - Round-up
The East Coast Derby served up a special R20, as did a victory 7 years in the making as the bottom 2 flounder once more and Incheon look close to joining them. We also say goodbye to Eom Ji-sung.
Round 20 brings to an end of run of games every 3 or 4 days over the last 2 weeks but it certainly didn’t lack punch or quality. It was good to see a return of some injured players in Hong Jeong-ho, Lee Heui-kyun, Kim Ju-sung and Lee Gi-hyuk. 23 games and 7 years FC Seoul has waited with a seemingly unending period of misery against Jeonbuk. Even recently, with FA Cup final defeat of 2022 and the top half playoff of last year - victory had escaped the capital club - until this last weekend. Jeonbuk who are in their darkest hour in over a decade were heavily defeated by a rejuvenated FC Seoul, who have now won 3 in a row and for the first time can start looking at the top 4 as a realistic target. Jeonbuk will need to regroup and recruit with the defence in an absolute mess, I’ve never seen a player look so out of depth in the K League as Koo Ja-ryong currently does. Elsewhere, Pohang Steelers got their first derby win in 6 games with an electric start blowing past Ulsan. Gimcheon now sit top after another 2-0 win at home. Suwon FC forget about the loss of Lee Seung-woo and fire past a toothless Daejeon. Yago puts the transfer business behind him with a final goal that sees Incheon coach Cho Sung-hwan on the brink. Gwangju bag another late home winner. Phew - great stuff - league has some Friday games to wet your appetite before Spain vs Germany in the Euros.
Player of the Round
Anderson Oliveira - Suwon FC
Lee Seung-who? The Batman and Robin partnership was broken up for the day but Anderson stepped up with his long-awaited first goal for Suwon FC to add to his hat full of assists. Had a big role to play in the 2nd too and is fast becoming one of the best players in the league.
Goal of the Round
Beautiful free kick by Ko Seung-beom for his first Ulsan HD goal unfortunately didn’t lead to anything but class.
Game of the Round
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1-5 FC Seoul (1.14Xg - 2.88Xg)
A fast FC Seoul start and forward pressure was far too much for a struggling Jeonbuk to cope with. Add to that a Kim Jin-su moment that was Nigel De Jong inspired and it was a miserable night for the 9-time K League winners. An impressive assist and finish for new signing and sub Ronaldo Taveres to put some extra shine on the result and make up for those 7 years of hurt.
MOM Han Seung-gyu
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A trip to Jeju island for FC Seoul next Saturday.
Bottom two clash with Jeonbuk at Daejeon on Sunday for a 6-pointer
Pohang Steelers 2-1 Ulsan HD (1.57 Xg - 1.26 Xg)
Pohang got their first East Coast derby win since 2022 owed much to their quick fire start to the game that saw them race into a 2 goal lead. A great move down the right that was like the parting of the seas from an Ulsan point of view. Soon after a controversial penalty that is known as the Choi Jun penalty, which Ulsan were themselves a beneficiary of earlier in the season. Ko Seung-beom’s sweet 20 yard direct free kick reduced the deficit as Ulsan were piling on pressure for much of the rest of the 1st half. A more even 2nd half saw some top saves from Jo Hyun-woo and Pohang took the deserved win and move to within a point of their rivals
MOM Lee Ho-jae
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Pohang have another derby this time away to Daegu FC
Ulsan play under the lights on Friday night away to in form Suwon FC
Gimcheon Sangmu 2-0 Daegu FC (2.49Xg - 0.69Xg)
The army tank keeps on trucking with another 0-0 HT turnaround to win 2-0 at home for the 2nd game running. Daegu FC had their moments in the first half but Gimcheon have been finding a way to win these games lately and made it 2 wins over Daegu this season both to nil. Daegu’s recent rebound with back to back wins has now been followed by back to back losses again while the squad depth struggles continues with Bobsin no longer with the team and Park Se-jin going off with concussion here.
MOM Choi Gi-yun
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Gimcheon travel to Incheon for the other Friday night game
Daegu have the Gyeongbuk derby with Pohang at home
Daejeon Hana Citizen 0-2 Suwon FC (0.3Xg - 1.59Xg)
Hapless Daejeon lose their second straight game 2 nil amid the heavy rain last Saturday. Suwon get back to back wins with Anderson starring and grabbing his first goal of the season. Jeong Seung-won continued his great form with a tidy finish late on after Anderson had created the space. Daejeon had 17-year-old Yun Do-young and thaat’s about it.
MOM Anderson
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Suwon FC take on Ulsan at home
Daejeon have a bottom 2 clash at home to Jeonbuk
Incheon United 0-1 Gangwon FC (0.95Xg - 2.03Xg)
Writing surely on the wall for Cho Sung-hwan in the Incheon United dugout with no home win since May 1st and 4 defeats in the last 5 league games on top of the defensive football has left fans reeling although they can’t really express that with the main supporter stand closed for the final time in this tepid performance. Incheon did threaten at times but mainly from set pieces or crossing bombardments of the Gangwon penalty box but that was notable in its absence in the final five minutes which used to Incheon’s time to shine. Gangwon have had a busy week and two surprise defeats in a row given their previous 5 game winning streak meant that this win was very welcome. The goal coming from Yago ‘Not Judas’ Cariello after an earlier penalty miss was a fitting goodbye gift from one of the league’s best strikers this season. Yago is expected to join Ulsan HD and would fit the role of a Martin Adam replacement if the Euros athlete were to return to Europe.
MOM Lee Sang-heon
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Gangwon face Gwangju at home on Sunday.
Incheon have Gimcheon at home with a full crowd available again.
Gwangju FC 2-1 Jeju United (1.35Xg - 1.53Xg)
Gwangju continue their habit for scoring late goals at home and delivering drama to the fans but keeping them on edge. This was their 7th late goal of the season at home as their post-Eom Ji-sung season got off to a good start over a Jeju side that tired and sat deeper and deeper as the minutes dwindled down. Lee Heui-kyun’s return will fill the Eom role and he was influential in the 2nd half with Bruno also doing well coming on for the dazed Ahn Young-gyu. The result means Gwangju leapfrog Jeju in the table but both still remain in the bottom half as inconsistency bites.
MOM Jeong Ho-yeon
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Gwangju are away to Gangwon
Jeju take on FC Seoul at home