The first mid-week round of the K League season took place this Wednesday and featured all twelve teams on the one date for the first time this season. The round produced 16 goals, the second highest goal-scoring round of the season, and with no draws it was a round that saw the away teams come out on top with five out of six being victorious.
The one home team to get a result was F.C. Seoul, and it happened to be their first win of the season, against Pohang Steelers, who have now lost two on the bounce after an unbeaten opening four fixtures. The visitors took the lead inside the opening ten minutes when wing forward Kim Seung-Dae slotted home after being put through on goal by an exquisite flick from Brazilian striker Gamalho. Despite falling behind early on F.C. Seoul were able to come out with the win after a brace from their own wing forward Go Yo-Han, who scored either side of half-time from close range on both occasions. Late on Pohang Steelers had a goal disallowed after consultation with VAR; the goal was seemingly ruled out for interfering with F.C. Seoul’s goalkeeper Yang Han-Bin’s line of sight, although the call seemed marginal F.C Seoul will be glad to pick up their first win of the season and will give them confidence heading into their away trip to Ulsan Hyundai at the weekend.
Pohang Steelers will look to bounce back at home to Gyeongnam F.C, who have been displaced from the top of the table after a reality checking four-nil home defeat to defending champions Jeonbuk Motors. Going into the fixture with the league’s only undefeated record, Gyeongnam F.C. were undone by an eight-minute first half brace from Kim Shin-Wook and Jeonbuk Motor’s superior quality was further shown with a double from the Brazilian duo of Thiago, and an injury-time goal from Lopes. Both goals were easy on the eye with Thiago’s being a lovely curled shot into the corner from outside the box and Lopes’s an equally lovely mazy run and close-range finish. The comfortable win means Jeonbuk Motors relace their opponents at the summit of the table and the rest of the league will have to raise their games if they are to be dethroned.
The first opponents that will try, and who have added incentive, are state rivals Jeonnam Dragons as the two meet in the first Jeolla derby of the season with Jeonnam Dragons visiting Jeonbuk Motors this coming Saturday. Being away from home may be a comfort to Jeonnam Dragons as they have failed to pick up a single point at home this season and Wednesday’s three-nil defeat to Jeju United condemned them to their third straight defeat at home whereas away from home they are undefeated and have picked up five points. Wednesday’s result may have been influenced by the red card of the home team’s Brazilian forward Wanderson around the hour mark when already one-nil down for what seemed to be an accidental elbow. Although the incident was reviewed it was still deemed serious enough to be given a straight red. After the red card Jeju United were able to add two more with the most impressive being Lee Chang-Min’s drag back and composed finished when surrounded by half the Jeonnam defence, which made it two-nil and effectively sealed the points for Jeju United, who move up to sixth in the table.
Jeju United are at home to Incheon United in the next round of fixtures and will be looking to score their first goal of the season at home in their fourth attempt. Incheon United will travel to the islanders on the back of their first defeat since the opening day of the season. Incheon lost out to Sangju Sangmu after Lim Chae-Min converted a 93rd minute penalty in what was the only goal of a tightly contested game in the port city.
Sangju Sangmu, who haven’t had a home game this season due to a festival taking place at their home ground, move up one place to seventh and will continue their country-wide away tour with a trip to Suwon Bluewings at the weekend. Suwon Bluewings were involved in the highest-scoring game of the round when they twice came from behind to claim a 3-2 victory against Gangwon F.C. and were also a beneficiary of a 93rd minute winner when Korean International Yeom Ki-Hun scored from a direct free-kick in the dying moments of the game to send the away fans into raptures. The result sees Suwon Bluewings move above their opponents and up to third, Gangwon F.C. meanwhile slip down to fifth and will look to address their three-game losing streak away at Daegu F.C. this weekend.
Daegu F.C. prop up the foot of the table and suffered a third defeat of the season to the improving Ulsan Hyundai, who were able to bring on their talented foreign contingent of Croatian midfielder Orsic and Brazilian forward Junior in the second half to grab two late goals in the last ten minutes and seal a third consecutive victory in all competitions.
