K League R7 Review: Missed Chances
Pohang extend their lead at the top but Ulsan start purring
This weekend saw Jeonbuk get their first win of the season and rise off the unfamiliar bottom of the table. Opponents Gwangju FC’s slide continues as they fell to their 5th consecutive defeat and they had a big chance to end that run with a late open net chance. We saw a host of big opportunities go begging which changed the outcome of matches, as Pohang remain top after another come from behind late late show with a clinical masterpiece in the capital. Ulsan thrashed in-form Gangwon FC in the perfect warm up for the Asian Champions League (ACL) clash with Yokohama Marinos this Wednesday. Daejeon’s struggles contined as Suwon FC picked up their first win since the opening day, also 1-0. Incheon United will be disappointed not to beat an underpowered Daegu FC at home, while Jeju continue to alternate between wins to nil and defeats to nil, this time with a hapless home display to 2nd placed Gimcheon Sangmu.
FC Seoul 2-4 Pohang Steelers
Willyan’s big chance from a near open goal that would’ve made it 3-1 to the hosts was the game changer. As league leaders continued their 2nd half late showings with a 2nd come-from-behind victory in a row. They did manage to get their first 1st half goal of the season before 19 year-old born on the 4th of May Son Seung-beom summoned his force powers to draw level on the stroke of half time with his debut goal in his 4th appearance. Willyan then got a goal after a mistake by Oberdan, before that miss galvanised the league leaders led by captain Wanderson with goals from Lee Ho-jae, Park Chan-yong’s spectacular heel flicks, and of course the super-sub game winner that is Jeong Jae-hee with incredibly his 4th goal of the season all at 90+ minutes.
It was a bitter blow for FC Seoul who were celebrating the career of number 13, one man club, Go Yo-han, and on the pitch had outperformed their opponents on Xg 3.34 vs 1.01 but with goalkeeper Choi Chul-won beat at his near post 3 times and Wanderson having free reign of the left hand side of the pitch its hard to argue with the final result.
MOM Wanderson
Next for FC Seoul is the Seoul derby against Osmar’s Seoul Eland in the cup then Jeonbuk at home in the league while Pohang have a top of the table clash with a home game vs Gimcheon Sangmu
Jeonbuk 2-1 Gwangju
Jeong Ho-yeon was next in line to miss a practically empty goal and become the first team to lose to Jeonbuk this season while condemning his team to a 5th straight defeat and another self-inflicted. Stand-in keeper Lee Jun will be replaying a number of moments back in his head over his past 2 appearances. None other than his mistake in the closing moments with the score 1-1 he, again, dallied on the ball allowing Tiago to take the ball from him and Song Min-kyu to, in direct contrast to Jeong Ho-yeon moments later, place the ball into an empty net. Gwangju FC, who had had the better of the 2nd half, to their credit rallied but the Jeong chance went begging and the Gwangju stutter continues. In K2 this weekend Gwangju was the butt of the joke when referring to Gimpo FC’s infrastructure problems in a pre-match interview, which goes to show that it’s not only on the pitch where the issue lies with Lee Jung-hyo spiky interviews adding fuel to the fire. This weekend he made excuses about Asani’s weight and physical condition.
MOM Lee Jae-ik
Next for Jeonbuk is that trip to Seoul with ther possiblity of former caretaker Kim Do-heon being tipped as the Petrescu successor. Gwangju are at home to Suwon FC is quite the winnable fixture after having 2 weeks off.
Jeju United 0-2 Gimcheon Sangmu
Jeju continued to alternate between hard to beat and defensively solid to weak and turgid offensively. Gimcheon on the other hand have fully put their 5-1 defeat to FC Seoul behind them with back-to-back wins. Damage was done in the first half with a rare goalkeeper assist, although not officially. Kim Jun-hong launching the ball over an advancing Kim Tae-hwan and Kim Hyun-wook taking full advantage of some sluggish defending by Song Ju-hun. The early injury to defensive partner Lim Chae-min had perhaps thrown Jeju off their game plan and their half-time team talk was ruined once Kim Dong-jun spilled a low shot from range and Kang Hyun-muk was at hand to not go with the trend of missing open goals this weekend and virtually put the game to bed.
MOM Kim Hyun-wook
Next up, Gimcheon have that top of the table clash with Pohang while Jeju are away to Suwon FC after both have midweek FA Cup action.
Ulsan 4-0 Gangwon FC
The champions clicking into top gear ahead of their Asian Champions League Semi-final and putting an end to Gangwon’s run of 2 wins with 3 goals in each game. Here Gangwon were outclassed and style played into Ulsan’s hands who once they had opened the scoring through Joo Min-kyu’s nice low finish after good work by Lee Dong-gyeong, Seol Young-woo and Eom Won-sang, had Gangwon exposed on the break and winning the ball high up the pitch. Gangwon’s build up play to this point had been highlighted as one of the best in the league but time and time again Eom Won-sang, Lee Dong-gyeong and Ludwigson were able to expose it. Not even a late penalty could act as consulation as Jo Hyun-woo saved former Ulsan man Lee Sang-heon’s effort. Jo’s record facing penalties this year has been impressive with Jeonbuk’s Tiago twice failing to beat him. Ulsan racked up 2 goals in both sides with top scorer Lee Dong-gyeong bagging another on top of an assist. Each goal makes this writer cry a little inside knowing that he is going off to the army shortly which will likely ruin his chances of a call up to the National Team in June with his form reminescient of his form before his move to the German Bundesliga, if not even better this time round.
MOM Joo Min-kyu
Next up, no K League action for 2 weeks for Ulsan as they focus on their ACL battles with Yokohama. Gangwon lick their wounds with a home game against Incheon.
Incheon 1-1 Daegu FC
Incheon follow up their controversial loss to Jeju United last week with a disappointing and lacklustre draw at home to a much weakened Daegu. The away side missing Hwang Jae-won, Cesinha, Bobshin and Edgar for this one didn’t carry much threat but top scorer Yoshino banged in another one to equalise in the 2nd half. Incheon had taken the lead when Mugosa’s header off the bar landed kindly for Kim Dong-min to score his 2nd professional goal some 6 years since the first. Incheon were having some joy with Baek Min-gyu and Park Seung-ho pressing high and Daegu not able to get forward but a tactical first-half sub gave the impetus to Daegu and the equaliser had been coming
MOM Choi Woo-jin
Next up for Incheon is a trip to wounded Gangwon while Daegu face Daejeon in a game with 2 managers under threat of losing their jobs.
Suwon FC 1-0 Daejeon Hana Citizen
Not quite 6 years but 3 years and 9 months was the length of time that midfielder Lee Jae-won had gone between goals. His nicely taken deft dink over the keeper was the one bit of quality in quite a poor game. Anderson was the bright spot for Suwon FC whle Mlapa did hit the woodwork for Daejeon but the battle between 2 struggling teams was an attritional one that was rightly settled by a soliditory goal.
MOM Anderson
Daejeon have that bottom of the table clash with Daegu away while Suwon host Jeju after FA Cup duties midweek.