The Chasing Pack Emerges

K League R13 Review: Daejeon's lead at the top shrinks to three points, Bottom three fail to win and the chasing pack all win

K League Round 13 Recap: Late Drama and Familiar Patterns

Round 13 delivered another classic dose of K League chaos in the closing stages, with Ulsan HD once again relying on Jo Hyun-woo's heroics. For the second consecutive week, the veteran goalkeeper saved a stoppage-time penalty, securing a 2-1 win away at struggling Jeju United and keeping Ulsan within touching distance of the summit.

At the top, league leaders Daejeon Hana Citizen were outplayed at home by FC Seoul, but the capital club's ongoing issues in front of goal meant a goalless draw was all they could manage. Daejeon's lead has now been cut to three points.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors continued their impressive revival under their pragmatic game plan, grinding out a 1-0 win at Gwangju FC — their fourth victory in five. Meanwhile, Gimcheon Sangmu bounced back emphatically from their recent setback against Gwangju FC, thrashing Gangwon FC 4-0 on the road.

As a result, the top four are now separated by just five points following a congested run of three matches in ten days. That group has created a slight buffer, with Pohang Steelers leading the middle pack after a comfortable victory over Suwon FC pushed them to 19 points.

Elsewhere, FC Anyang salvaged a late draw at home to Daegu FC in a back-and-forth affair. While the point lifts Daegu off the foot of the table, they remain four points adrift of safety. FC Seoul, despite sitting in an uncharacteristically low ninth, may take encouragement from their strong performance away at the league leaders — perhaps a sign that momentum is finally building.

Jesse Lingard’s post on Instagram following their positive performance at Daejeon