Jeonbuk tie with Pohang as Ulsan continues to lead K League

Football

Published: 30 Aug. 2022, 16:25

Jeonbuk tie with Pohang as Ulsan continues to lead K League

Jeong Jae-hee of the Pohang Steelers, right, celebrates after scoring during a match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju on Monday. [YONHAP]

Paik Seung-ho of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, center, celebrates scoring the penalty during a match between Jeonbuk and the Pohang Steelers at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju on Monday. [YONHAP]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were held to a 2-2 draw on Monday by the Pohang Steelers at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, unable to close the leaderboard gap with the leader Ulsan Hyundai who also were held to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

With the draw, the Steelers jumped up to third place, five points behind the unchanged Jeonbuk in second and one point over Incheon United, who fell to fourth.

Jeonbuk was coming from a difficult loss against Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds at the AFC Champions League semifinal on Aug. 25. Jeonbuk had lost their lead in the final minute of extra time and then fell apart in a penalty shootout.

Jeonbuk's loss at the Champions League meant that for the first time in three years, a Korean club failed to represent East Asia in the continental tournament final.

It seemed that continental defeat had hit Jeonbuk hard, as Jeonbuk struggled to find chances to shoot at home on Monday, marking only six shots, three of which were on target. The Steelers created more chances, with 16 shots and 10 shots on target.

After the first half ended 0-0, Pohang struck and scored twice within the first four minutes after the whistle blew to start the second half.

Shin Jin-ho opened the scoring in the 46th minute while Jeong Jae-hee added another just three minutes later.

With 2-0 on the scoreboard, Jeonbuk scored their first goal in the 54th minute as Gustavo came to the rescue with his eighth goal of the season.

Then with just five minutes left on the clock, Paik Seung-ho scored the equalizer, converting a penalty.

With the draw, Jeonbuk stays second on the K League standings with 50 points. Pohang stole third place, pushing Incheon to fourth.

Incheon had only reached the No. 3 spot after a 2-0 victory over Seoul on Saturday that marked their eighth lossless match.

The top club Ulsan were also held to a draw by the islanders on Saturday. After Valeri Qazaishvili of Ulsan opened the scoring in the first half, Gerso Fernandes of Jeju scored the equalizer in the second half.

Ulsan has tied in three matches out of five this month, their only two victories being a 2-1 win over Gimcheon Sangmu on Aug. 21 and a big 4-0 shutout against Daegu FC on Aug. 13. However, they keep a comfortable nine points ahead of defending champions Jeonbuk.

Jeonbuk is the most successful club in the history of the K League, having won their fifth consecutive trophy last season, becoming the first team ever in Korea's two most popular leagues — the K League and KBO — to win a title for five straight years.

Ulsan has only two K League titles and 10 runner-up finishes. If Ulsan wins this season, it will be a first in 17 years as the club won in 1996 and, most recently, 2005.

Ulsan is on top of the standings, Jeonbuk is second, Pohang is third, Incheon is fourth, Jeju is fifth and Suwon FC is sixth.

On the other end of the table, Gangwon FC, FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings are tied at 36 points each, but Gangwon takes seventh place, Seoul eighth and Bluewings ninth according to the goal difference. Daegu is 10th, Gimcheon is 11th and Seongnam FC is 12th.

K League action resumes Friday when Suwon FC face Jeju United and Incheon United face Gangwon FC. There will be four more matches over the weekend.

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