Steelers hold on to top spot after second week of K League action

Football

Published: 06 Mar. 2023, 17:49 Updated: 06 Mar. 2023, 17:53

Steelers hold on to top spot after second week of K League action

Suwon FC's Lee Seung-woo, center, receives a red card during a K League game against the Pohang Steelers at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Saturday. [YONHAP]

The Pohang Steelers held on to the top spot after a second week of K League action, beating Suwon FC 2-1 at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Saturday.

The Steelers, who had managed a dramatic comeback against Daegu FC last week, earned a second straight win against Suwon FC to top the table on six points.

Pohang midfielder Goh Young-jun opened the scoring in the 19th minute on Saturday, giving his side some early security. Jeong Jae-hee extended the Steelers’ lead in the 32nd minute to put the visitors up 2-0 with nearly an hour left to play.

Suwon FC ace Lee Seung-woo attempted a shot in injury time at the end of the first half, but failed to cut into the two-goal deficit.

Suwon FC bounced back shortly after the break with a Murilo Henrique goal in the 47th minute. The home team failed to extend that lead any further, and ended up down to 10 men when Lee was sent off for a heavy tackle on Park Seung-wook in the 81st minute.

Saturday’s win kept the Pohang side on top of the table with six points. The Steelers edge out Ulsan and FC Seoul, who are also riding two wins early in the season, on goals scored — the deciding factor when teams are tied on points.

Ulsan beat Gangwon FC 1-0 at Chuncheon Songam Sports Town in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Sunday.

Ulsan Hyundai's Um Won-sang, left, dribbles during a K League game against Gangwon FC at Chuncheon Songam Sports Town in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Sunday. [YONHAP]

The defending champions failed to get on the scoresheet in the first half despite multiple attempts, but found that breakthrough in the 49th minute with an Um Won-sang opener.

Ulsan failed to find the back of the net again, but held on to the slim lead for their second win of the season.

Ulsan’s victory on Sunday extended their unbeaten run against Gangwon to 24 games. They have recorded 20 wins and four draws against Gangwon since July 2012.

Ulsan now sit in third on the table with six points — one position below FC Seoul, who have scored one more goal.

FC Seoul, who played the newly promoted side Gwangju FC in Gwangju on Sunday, recorded a 2-0 victory.

FC Seoul's Osmar Ibanez, left, celebrates with Kim Jin-ya during a K League game after scoring a goal against Gwangju FC at Gwangju Football Stadium in Gwangju in a photo shared on FC Seoul's official Facebook page on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The capital side seemed to struggle in the first half, but Spanish defender Osmar Ibanez opened the scoring in the 58th minute with Park Dong-jin heading in a second goal in the 90th minute.

Hwang Ui-jo, who started the game alongside FC Seoul’s new captain Stanislav Iljutcenko, was expected to score his first goal for FC Seoul, but failed to do so and was substituted for Lee Si-young in the 81st minute.

Elsewhere in the league it was all draws. Incheon United and Daejeon Hana Citizen shared a point in Incheon on Saturday after a grueling 90 minutes. The match was neck-and-neck until the end as the final score came to 3-3. The game put the Incheon side in seventh place and Daejeon Hana Citizen in fourth.

Jeju United and Daegu FC recorded a 1-1 draw on Saturday in Daegu, which put them in sixth and eighth place respectively.

Last season’s runners-up Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors also drew 1-1 at home against the Suwon Samsung Bluewings on Sunday, despite last season’s top scorer Cho Gue-sung’s penalty.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Cho Gue-sung scores a penalty during a K League game against the Suwon Samsung Bluewings at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Jeonbuk lost to Ulsan on opening day and have yet to win a game. They now sit in ninth place with Saturday’s draw.

The K League resumes next Saturday with the league leaders Pohang Steelers heading to Daejeon to face Daejeon Hana Citizen at Daejeon World Cup Stadium. The Suwon derby — Suwon FC facing off the Suwon Samsung Bluewings — is on the same day, while Gangwon play Daegu at their home stadium in Chuncheon.

Ulsan face FC Seoul in the capital on Sunday, with Jeonbuk facing Gwangju at home. Jeju United will travel to Incheon to play Incheon United, whom they last beat in June 2022.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]