Wide open K League - R26 Review
Changes at the top and bottom as we enter the final third of the season. Crisis deepens for 9-time K League champion Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
We return to league action after a brief hiatus for the K League All-star game. Gangwon FC went to the league leaders Gimcheon and won taking them to the summit for the first time this season. FC Seoul continued their resolute form with another close win to drop into the top half and find themselves just 8 points off the lead gaining ground on their opponent Pohang Steelers and also Suwon FC who lost to the then bottom club Daejeon Hana Citizen 2-1 at home. There were winning starts for the new manager’s at Ulsan HD and Incheon United both getting off the mark with 1-0 wins as an own goal was enough to get Kim Pan-gon the result at home for Ulsan to a luckless Daegu FC, while a late Mugosa turn and powerful shot saw Kim Young-keun’s Incheon put some distance between the bottom 3. Jeonbuk fall to bottom after a home loss to Gwangju FC who made it 3 wins in a row despite being quite fortunate to get the win.
The race for the title is wide open this season and Gwangju FC and Jeju United are still fighting for a top half finish while the bottom four have survival on their minds with one automatically relegated and two facing playoffs. As things stands, and almost unthinkably it’s Jeonbuk Hundai Motors facing the automatic drop, but lots still the play for in what is turning out to be one of the best season’s in years.
Goal of the Round
Tough competition here with Asani’s rocket from the edge of the box gave Kim Jun-hong no chance in the Jeonbuk goal but for sheer difficulty and finesse I have to give it to Lee Sang-heon who reached double figures for the first time in his career with his 3rd double of the season. This was probably the best of his 10 goals he’s scored this season; having to back pedal and delicately chip the goalkeeper and defender on the line made it all the more special. The subsequent waste of time VAR check on the goal was happily ignored and the goal stood, giving Gangwon FC the win and sent them to the top of the table.
Player of the Round
Masatoshi Ishida, the Japanese attacking midfielder came back to haunt his former club Suwon FC with a double to lift his Daejeon Hana Citizen off the bottom. Masa announced his return to the league after struggling with fitness since his move from Yokohama FC. Masa won the pk that he then converted and found himself in acres of space inside the 6 yard box to convert his second which proved to be the game winner
Match of the Round
Suwon FC 1-2 Daejeon Hana Citizen (2.06 Xg vs 1.94 Xg)
An attacking display from both sides saw both keepers kept busy. Ultimately, the loss of not only Lee Seung-woo and Kwon Kyung-won, but also the strange deselection of DM Son Jun-ho cost Suwon, who are now looking over their shoulders as their top 6 place is under threat. It’s quite inexplicable why Son Jun-ho started on the bench and only came on for the last 20 minutes and directly contributed to Daejeon’s Masa running amok around the Suwon final third. Daejeon made 7 changes from their last game and certainly were clinging on at the end but the win lifts them off the bottom and the impact of Masa gives them a lot of hope in the upcoming run-in.
MOM Masa
UP Next - Daejeon are at home to Incheon with a winning closing the gap to safety to 1 point, while Suwon FC have a tough away trip to Ulsan HD.
Gimcheon Sangmu 1-2 Gangwon FC (0.71 Xg vs 1.26 Xg)
The league leaders changed hands with a big Gangwon win to get their first win over the army side this season. Lee Sang-heon’s double was enough to turn the game around for the provincial club. Gimcheon struggled to create much with the introduction of Lee Dong-gyeong improving things in the final third but Gangwon had enough to hold on and go top of the league for the first time this season.
MOM Lee Sang-heon
UP NEXT Gangwon are at home to Gwangju and Gimcheon are away to Daegu in a repeat of the opening game of the season.
Ulsan HD 1-0 Daegu FC (1.4 Xg vs 1.19 Xg)
Are Ulsan back? In a way yes but they were made to hold on and made some very unusual defensive changes to see out this game opting not for control of Bojanic and Won Du-jae but an extra defender. They also had to rely on an own goal for the result with Joo Min-kyu guilty of missing a number of chances, and as always Jo Hyun-woo had to be at his best, pulling off a wonderful double save in the first half. So, back to winning ways yes but not back to their free flowing best, though it was a marked improvement from the football they had been playing under the caretaker. Daegu continue their misfortune of playing well but not getting results
MOM Jo Hyun-woo
UP NEXT Daegu are at home in the North Gyeongsang derby to Gimcheon and Ulsan have a home game against Suwon FC.
Jeonbuk 0-1 Gwangju FC (1.97 Xg vs 0.28 Xg)
The most fortunate win of the weekend certainly goes to Gwangju FC. Jeonbuk created a number of decent openings but couldn’t find the back of the net while some passive defending from gave tons of space to Asani to fire in a rocket from the edge of the box. Further worries are the half-time sub of Lee Seung-woo, whose home debut did not go as planned as the new look Jeonbuk still struggle with the balance of the midfield and while should’ve won we are entering the results stage of the season and this result sees them sink back to the bottom of the table.
MOM Asani, Gwangju’s only threat.
UP NEXT Jeonbuk are at home to Pohang Steelers while Gwangju are away at league leaders Gangwon FC
Jeju United 0-1 Incheon United (0.28 Xg vs 0.68 Xg)
Looked destined to be a nil-nil until Mugosa rolled back the years with a turn and powerful shot evading two of Jeju’s back 3 to give the new manager a big win. Incheon reverted to a back 4, something that precedessor Cho Sung-hwan was tempted by but never attempted and the results were positive in a tight encounter. Getting Choi Won-jin back in the side was important and the young full back set up the winner. Jeju were lacklustre and incoherent in attack with Yuri once more starting on the bench due to the U22 issue.
MOM Choi Won-jin
UP NEXT Incheon are away again this time to Daejeon while Jeju have a Friday night game away to FC Seoul.
Pohang Steelers 1-2 FC Seoul
FC Seoul eeking out a third straight win is very commendable as they look set for the first time this season on an assault on the top four with only 8 points separating all the teams. With much of the FC Seoul team and coaching staff former Pohang, and FC Seoul youth product Lee Tae-seok lining up for Pohang, the aesthetics of the game were somewhat off-putting, including new FC Seoul gk Kang Hyun-moo still wearing his Pohang shinpads
It was a rearguard action display once again from FC Seoul but two quality goals from Cho Young-wook early on and a superb low drive from, yes you guessed it, former Pohang player Lee Seung-mo was enough for a big three points. Pohang fell to their second straight defeat at home and it was a similar story with plenty of the ball but failing to take chances. Jorge’s heading especially displaying signs of weakness.
MOM Yazan Al-arab
UP NEXT FC Seoul have a home game against Jeju while Pohang are away at Jeonbuk.