Ulsan extend lead to 10 points as Jeju beat Jeonbuk to take second

Football

Published: 30 May. 2022, 17:17

Ulsan extend lead to 10 points as Jeju beat Jeonbuk to take second

Jun Amano of Ulsan Hyundai, right, celebrates with Lee Chung-yong after scoring Ulsan's winning goal against Suwon FC on Saturday at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

Ulsan Hyundai extended their lead at the top of the K League to 10 points on Saturday as Jeju United beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-0 to pull back into second place.

Jeju striker Joo Min-kyu scored both goals for Jeju at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla on Saturday.

Jeju had one goal disallowed in the first half, a 30th-minute effort from Ahn Hyun-beom that the referee ruled offside after reviewing the VAR footage.

Despite both clubs hammering against each other in the remainder of the first half, neither was able to score.

Just 15 minutes into the second half, Jeju’s Gerso Fernandes connected with Joo from the left, allowing the striker to comfortably slot the ball past Jeonbuk goalkeeper Song Bum-keun.

Seventeen minutes later, Joo found another chance, dribbling the ball a few times just outside the box then turning around to kick a screamer into the upper right corner of the Jeonbuk net.

Jeonbuk had gone nine games without losing a match before the islanders took them down on Saturday. Joo has now scored nine goals this season, the third most in the K League after Incheon United’s Mugosa, with 11, and Gimcheon Sangmu Cho Gue-sung, with 10.

In Suwon, Gyeonggi, Ulsan came back from behind to beat Suwon FC 2-1 on Saturday. Despite Ulsan dominating the match, Suwon's defense kept the K League leaders shut down throughout the first half. Suwon didn't have the same problem, with Lee Seung-woo opening the scoring for the home team in the 41st minute, marking his fifth goal this season.

With neither club able to add any more, the whistle blew for half time.

Ulsan came back from the break looking determined and just nine minutes into the second half, Qazaishvili Vako leveled the score. Five minutes later, Jun Amano added one more to give Ulsan the win.

With the win, Ulsan extends their lead at the top of the K League to 10 points. Ulsan sit on 36 points, followed by Jeju on 26 and Jeonbuk on 25.

Incheon United beat Seongnam FC 1-0 to switch places with the Pohang Steelers over the weekend, taking fourth place while the Steelers were pushed down to fifth. The other end of the table remains unchanged.

The K League takes a two-week break for the upcoming national team friendlies, resuming on June 17 when Gimcheon face Suwon FC and the Steelers face Gangwon FC.

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