K League R8: Round-up
Jeonbuk's Caretaker takes care of business
A smaller game week than normal with Ulsan having the weekend off to focus on their 2nd leg Semi-Final in the Asian Champions League this coming Wednesday. In terms of goals the weekend was very much peaks and troughs with 2 nil-nils in amongst a barrage of goals.
Moment of the Week
Jeonbuk’s Jeon Byung-kwan’s spectacular, unorthodox bicycle kick fit to win any match. The U22 Winter signing hasn’t had the best starts to his Jeonbuk career, which has included being subbed off early in the first half, but entrusted under caretaker Park Won-jae, Jeon repaid that faith and then some. Goal of the Season!
https://twitter.com/i/status/1781628570902626491
Performance of the Round
Yago Cariello - The 24-year-old Brazilian grabbed his first goals of the season, not 1, nor 2 but a hat-trick of them. It was only the 2nd time in his career that he has scored a hat-trick and he only had scored once for Gangwon FC since his 2023 Summer move.
Match of the Round
FC Seoul (Xg 1.5) 2-3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Xg 1.49)
A hotly contested duel fought out in the pouring rain saw the lead change hands several times with Jeonbuk eventually hanging on for their 2nd win of the season and 1st away from home. As the Xg suggests things were pretty tight with FC Seoul having a golden chance, for the 2nd home game in a row, to make it 3-1 before succumbing to a defeat. Goalkeeper Choi Chul-won will have to take the brunt of the responsibility after dallying on the ball allowed Song Min-kyu to tackle the goalkeeper, something he did against Gwangju FC in the last round to great success, and open the scoring. After a Palocevic and Iljutchenko goal a piece, Choi was then beaten at his near post by Lee Yeong-jae’s low strike to tie things up before half time. It was all to similar to Choi’s near post failings in the previous defeat against Pohang. Jeon’s bicycle after half-time was justly the game winner.
MOM Song Min-kyu
UP NEXT
Jeonbuk face crisis club Daegu FC next at home.
FC Seoul look for a way out of their own mini-crisis and are seeking their first away win at Daejeon Hana Citizen.
Suwon Fc 2-1 Jeju United
Suwon are back on track with back-to-back home wins. For the 2nd time this season Lee Seung-woo sealed the game winner with a late, and unstoppable, penalty kick. Jeju’s 120 midweek FA Cup exertion looked to have taken it’s toll after a late sending off for Italo compounded their misery, having taken the lead early in the first half. A somewhat fortuitous equaliser by Lee Yong’s cross come shot evaded Kim Dong-jun’s reach. Jeju can feel a bit hard done by having had a decent amount of chances but credit to Suwon for completing the comeback. Lee Seung-woo was also a bit lucky not to pick up two yellows.
MOM Lee Seung-woo
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Jeju have an uneviable trip to Ulsan next
Suwon FC are away to Gwangju FC
Gangwon FC 4-1 Incheon United
A superb first half from the home side on the back of a 4-0 hiding in Ulsan was down in part to a poor showing from Incheon. Yago Cariello made use of the space given to him by a sluggish Incheon defence and fired in a couple of first time shots and an excellent first goal to open the scoring. Incheon were culpable by giving the ball away a number of times and never got going offensively until a late Mugosa consolation.
MOM Yago Cariello
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Incheon United have a tough away trip to league leaders Pohang Steelers.
Gangwon FC are away to 2nd placed Gimcheon Sangmu
Pohang Steelers 0-0 Gimcheon Sangmu
Both sides have their moments in the early battle of top spot in the table. Gimcheon had the better of the first half while the usual late Pohang showing was very evident and the away side had to withstand a number of late scares to take the point. Pohang’s Xg 0.76 and Gimcheon’s was 0.71 so a draw a fair result in the pouring rain on the East Coast.
MOM Wanderson
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Gimcheon host Gangwon
Pohang take on Incheon, who will looking for a reaction after losing 4-1 at the weekend.
Daegu 0-0 Daejeon
The basement battle ended as many do nil-nil. As the last match of the weekend it completed the game week that ended up doubling the number of nil-nils this season, from 2 previously to now 4. Daejeon go home the most unhappy with an Xg of 2.37 to Daegu’s 0.67. The lowest scoring teams in the league with 5 and 6 respectively showed why they are struggling down near the bottom with both suffering from a number of injuries to key players. Daegu’s caretaker Jung Seon-ho took charge of only one training session before th game with the announcement of Choi Won-kwon’s following the cup defeat to K2 opposition midweek, departure late on Friday. Hamstrung by injuries and handing out a few debuts in the game; a point is perhaps the best result they could’ve hoped for.
MOM Kim In-gyun
UP NEXT
Daegu face a rejuvenated Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors away from home
Daejeon take on FC Seoul in the first game of Round 9.