Ulsan get ninth win of season as Bluewings record first victory

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Ulsan get ninth win of season as Bluewings record first victory

Published: 07 May. 2023, 14:37 Updated: 07 May. 2023, 18:03

FC Seoul's Hwang Ui-jo, right, dribbles during a K League game against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul on Friday. [YONHAP]

Ulsan Hyundai went eight points clear on top of the K League table with their ninth victory of the season on Friday, with FC Seoul remaining in second place after a draw with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on the same day.

Six K League teams were back in action a day early with the first Friday fixtures of the season as the league prepares for midweek games in the coming days.

League leaders Ulsan faced Daegu FC and displayed a league-leader performance against the mid-table team, thrashing them 3-0 in front of their own fans.

Hwang Jae-hwan opened the scoring in the 11th minute, scoring his debut goal in the K League.

Ulsan Hyundai players celebrate during a K League game against Daegu FC at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu in a photo shared on Ulsan's official Facebook account on Saturday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Valeri Qazaishvili stretched that lead in the 38th minute, followed by Hwang’s second goal in the 40th minute, ensuring Ulsan’s 3-0 victory.

FC Seoul played Jeonbuk at the same time in the capital, but could not find a win on a very rainy day.

Seoul conceded a goal 11 seconds after kick-off to Gustavo Sousa and failed to score an equalizer in the first half despite multiple attempts on target.

They continued to struggle in the second half even with more possession, until Park Dong-jin broke through in the 77th minute with a much-needed equalizer.

Neither side could score the winner, however, and shared a point in the end.

Jeonbuk, who played with interim manager Kim Do-heon in the absence of Kim Sang-sik, who resigned on Thursday, remained in 10th place on the 12-team table.

Elsewhere in the league, last-place Suwon Samsung Bluewings beat Incheon United 1-0 in Incheon, managing their first win of the season in the last game before new manager Kim Byung-soo takes the helm.

Six other teams played on Saturday.

Third-place Pohang Steelers faced Jeju United in Seogwipo, Jeju and lost the match 2-1.

Jeju United's Lee Chang-Min, right, dribbles during a K League game against the Pohang Steelers at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju in a photo shared on Jeju's official Facebook account on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Steelers still remained in third place despite recording their first back-to-back loses this season. Jeju also stayed in fifth with the win.

Meanwhile, Suwon FC beat Gangwon FC 2-0 at home, while Daejeon Hana Citizen shared a point with Gwangju FC after a goalless draw in Gwangju.

The K League will be back in action on Tuesday.

League leaders Ulsan will take on Gangwon on Tuesday at home, followed by the Steelers clash with Daegu in Daegu and FC Seoul’s game against Gwangju in the capital.

Daejeon Hana Citizen will play Suwon FC the next day, before the Bluewings host Jeonbuk in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

Jeju will play Incheon at Jeju World Cup Stadium at the same time.

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