K League to resume Thursday after three-week hiatus

Ulsan Hyundai react after losing an AFC Champions League group stage match 2-1 against Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Saturday. [KLEAGUE/YONHAP]

The K League will be back from its three-week hiatus on Thursday after K League clubs played AFC Champions League and FA Cup matches in April.

Table-topping Ulsan Hyundai will be looking for some redemption after dropping out of the AFC Champions League.

Ulsan Hyundai have sat at the top of the K League table since the start of the season. Ulsan currently has 23 points with seven wins and two draws. On April 9, Ulsan extended their lead in first place defeating Daegu 3-1, scoring all three goals in the second half after falling behind early from a penalty in the seventh minute and showing off their good form ahead of the AFC Champions League.

But the AFC Champions League results did not reflect the K League standings.

Ulsan, winners of the 2020 Champions League, were eliminated from this year's Champions League after losing 2-1 to Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim on Saturday. The loss left Ulsan in third place in Group I with 10 points, one behind Kawasaki Frontale with 11 and three behind Johor in first place.

Daegu, on the other hand, secured their spot in the knockout round of the AFC Champions League, beating Lion City Sailors 2-1.

Daegu is in 10th place on the K League table. Their success in the Champions League was unexpected as they were struggling in the K League with two wins, two draws and two losses. Only the Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Seongnam FC are behind Daegu.

Ulsan will face the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, looking to add another three points on Thursday, while Daegu will be facing the Pohang Steelers at the Pohang Steelyard to test whether their success at the Champions League will translate back to the domestic field.

Incheon United will also try to find their form again after a disappointing 6-1 loss against K League 2 club Gwangju FC at Incheon Football Stadium on April 27, to fall out of the FA Cup.

Incheon is in second place on the K League table, five points behind Ulsan, with five wins, three draws and one loss. Compared to their No. 8 finish last season, this season has been much more successful so far.

Incheon will be looking for some redemption on Thursday when they face Suwon FC at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will face FC Seoul, Seongnam will face Jeju United and Gimcheon Sangmu will face Gangwon on Thursday.

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