R32 K League Review
Friday Penalty Ball, Gimcheon march on, Gangwon winless in five, Jeonbuk drama and FC Seoul back to winning ways.
The penultimate round before the league splits into the top and bottom halves felt a little redundant after the makeup of the teams was decided last week. Nevertheless, points are points, and we saw Gimcheon and Ulsan create some distance between themselves and the others, which perfectly sets up the top-two clash in Round 33. Jeonbuk’s last-minute winner against Jeju United not only pulled their opponents back into the relegation battle but also saw them escape the relegation zone for the first time since Round 9. FC Seoul returned to their 1-0 winning ways, with Jesse Lingard’s missed penalty surprising everyone.
Cesinha’s knack for late equalizers continued, this time preventing Gangwon FC from escaping their now five-game winless run, after Hwang Mun-ki showed the onlooking national team coach what he can do from free kicks, blasting one in from 25 yards out. On Friday night, Pohang Steelers mirrored their east coast rivals with a 1-0 win over Incheon United via a penalty, while Ulsan did the same away to Daejeon, breaking a long record without a win at their stadium.
The race to avoid relegation continues to heat up with Daejeon’s seven-game undefeated run coming to an end, Jeju being dragged back into the fight, Gwangju FC nervously looking over their shoulders, in-form Jeonbuk finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, and Incheon’s scoring struggles condemning them to an uncertain fate. Lastly, the league’s best player, Cesinha, continues to drag Daegu FC along in the relegation battle. At the top, there is still much to be sorted out in terms of Asian Champions League qualification and, of course, the title, with Ulsan cruising toward a possible third straight championship.
Player of the Round
Lee Dong-gyeong (Gimcheon Sangmu). Returning to the form he showed earlier in the season at Ulsan HD after a slow start to his military footballing career. Getting the best out of Lee has been crucial to Gimcheon’s own return to form and getting his 11th of the season puts him in 3rd place in the golden boot race, three behind Iljutchenko and Mugosa.
Save of the Round
New award for this game week. Yun Pyeong-gook’s diving wonder save to Shin Jin-ho’s 25 yard free kick deserves it’s own category. One wonders, if Oh Seung-hoon had put the same effort in for Hwang Mun-ki’s free kick would it had gone in?
Goal of the Round
Jeonbuk’s opener was a textbook example of how movement and one touch football can open up a defence. Kim Jin-gyu providing the clever finish to give the home team the lead in their 2-1 victory
Match of the Round
Jeonbuk 2-1 Jeju United (Xg 1.5 - Xg 1.44)
Jeju United pulled right back into the relegation with this loss. Jeonbuk on the other hand can begin to believe their own escape is possible rising to ninth with this result. It was another dramatic late winner from another former Suwon Bluewings player, after Kwon Chang-hoon’s late one against Pohang here, Jeon Jin-woo this time finding too much space that deep in injury time after Jeju’s Song Ju-hun misjudged the flight of the cross. Jeonbuk will feel they deserved the win after another soft Yuri induced penalty. The Brazilian number nine took a flailing finger to the head and went down like a sack of screaming potatoes - great penalty though.
MOM Kim Jin-gyu (Jeonbuk)
UP NEXT Jeonbuk head to Daegu for a big 6 pointer while Jeju are at home to Daejeon in a, you’ve guessed it, another big 6 pointer
Daejeon Hana Citizen 0-1 Ulsan HD (Xg 0.59 - Xg 2.4)
A champions style victory, where Ulsan HD didn’t really have to get out of 2nd gear to win this one. A penalty conceded by converted U22 winger Lee Sang-min, who was subsequently hooked at half time, was enough to end Daejeon’s 7-game unbeaten run. Bojanic converted the penalty and his technique is something to behold, his nonchalant attempt just places the ball high into the net with little power knowing that keepers can’t dive vertically to the side. Daejeon’s attack was blunt for the 2nd home game running.
MOM Bojanic
UP NEXT Ulsan face off against 2nd placed Gimcheon while Daejeon have that trip to Jeju island.
Pohang Steelers 1-0 Incheon United (Xg 2.4 - Xg 0.57)
A tight 1-0 win delivered via the penalty spot after an unfortunate handball by Jonjic. Shin Jin-ho’s 25 yard free kick was the closest Incheon came to ending their 3-game goalless run with Yun, in the Pohang goal, making a world-class save. Pohang rallied late on as they often do to take this one over the finish line and continue their return to form. Incheon look in trouble.
MOM Jorge/Yun Pyeong-gook (Pohang)
UP NEXT Pohang have the home game vs Suwon FC which was meant to be an away game. Incheon are at home to Gangwon FC
Gangwon FC 1-1 Daegu FC (Xg 0.37 - 0.67 Xg)
A fair result in the end with both sides having some moments but overall and lack of finishing at both ends. Cesinha’s strike partners Jung Chi-in, Italo and Barcelos all suffered from a case of the greedy gits in this game. Daegu again relied on their Talisman to get them out of a hole with another equaliser, credit Hwang Jae-won with the assist. Hwang was involved in the battle of the Korean potential right backs in front of Hong Myung-bo with Gangwon’s Hwang Mun-ki. The Gangwon man won the callup after his spectacular 25 yard free kick here but Hwang Jae-won was extremely unlucky not to get the call after a commanding performance in CM first of all and then decisiveness at right wingback.
MOM Hwang Jae-won (Daegu)
UP NEXT Gangwon try to end their bad run away at bottom club Incheon while Daegu host Jeonbuk
FC Seoul 1-0 Suwon FC (Xg 1.71 - Xg 0.54)
Two sides struggled majorly with the poor pitch conditions with neither side seemingly able to string a few passes together. Suwon’s Anderson will feel most aggrieved by it after being through on goal only to have the ball irregularly bounce away. Suwon FC had the better of the first half and FC Seoul needed all of the experience and ability of Jesse Lingard to reclaim momentum. The Englishman was up to the task and pulled the strings in the secong half with his delivery from a corner meeting the head of now joint top scorer in the league Iljutchenko, who reacted with a great rendition of the griddy. It was all the more surprise when Lingard skied a penalty that would’ve sealed the win, his own rendition of the Baggio penalty, instead FC Seoul had to hold on for their favourite scoreline 1-0.
MOM Jesse Lingard (FC Seoul)
UP NEXT FC Seoul travel to Gwangju FC and Suwon are on the road at Pohang.
Gimcheon Sangmu 2-0 Gwangju FC (Xg 0.89 - Xg 0.81)
Gimcheon march on while Gwangju, perhaps distracted by the midweek tie away to Kawasaki Frontale in Japan, are now looking over their shoulders at the prospect of a relegation scrap. Gimcheon’s return to form is in large part down Lee Dong-gyeong’s own return and his finish here was a typical outside of the box curler after Gwangju were caught in possession on the edge of their box.
MOM Lee Dong-gyeong (Gimcheon)
UP NEXT Gimcheon are away at first placed Ulsan HD while FC Seoul travel to Gwangju FC.