Undefeated Jeonbuk continue reign at top of K League

Paik Seung-ho, right, appears for the first time in a Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors jersey in a match against Incheon United at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors held on to the top spot in the K League 1 table for another week, extending their streak to nine games without a single loss.

The North Jeolla side rounded off the week by trouncing Incheon United 5-0 on Sunday at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla.

Han Kyo-won opened the scoring for Jeonbuk in the 41st minute, with Lee Seung-Gi piling on just three minutes later to give the team a 2-0 lead going into the break.

Lee and Han both found the back of the net again in the second half, with Modou Barrow compounding the victory with a fifth goal scored during injury time at the end of the second half.

With the victory, Lee joins the K League's 50-50 club, referring to players with a record of more than fifty goals and fifty assists, adding two goals and one assist in this game.

If Jeonbuk weren't unstoppable enough already, Paik Seung-ho, a midfielder that came up through the Barcelona youth system before playing in the Spanish and German second divisions, joined his new club on the field for his K League debut on Sunday.

Kim Sang-Sik, Jeonbuk manager, was named K league Manager of the Month for March as Jeonbuk’s undefeated record continues. Kim has been with the club as a player and coach since 2009.

The Pohang Steelers beat FC Seoul 2-1 on Saturday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Western Seoul. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for Pohang.

Song Min-kyu opened the scoring during the first half, marking his fourth goal during this season. Lim Sang-hyub added the second in the 78th minute.

Gangwon FC beat Daegu FC at home 3-0, and now sit at fifth on the K League 1 table.

Daegu struggled offensively, with forward Cesinha absent due to a hamstring injury. As a result, Daegu fell to eleventh place on the table.

Seongnam FC jumped up to third place, beating Gwangju FC who remain in eighth, 2-0.

It was Serbian striker Fejsal Mulic who found the net twice — once during the first half and once in the second. Caught up with his emotions, he tore off his jersey in celebration — an act forbidden by FIFA— forgetting he had already been booked in the first half.

Jeju United beat the Suwon Samung Bluewings 2-1 on Sunday. The three points took Jeju to seventh on the table while the Bluewings fell to sixth.

Suwon FC is continuing to struggle with a hard season, losing once again, this time 1-0 to Ulsan Hyundai FC. Neither team moved in the table, with Suwon staying at 12th and Ulsan at second.

The league continues this weekend as Incheon United take on Jeju United, Seoul faces Daegu, Gwangju takes on Pohang, Suwon FC plays Gangwon, Jeonbuk takes on Seongnam and the Bluewings face Ulsan.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]