Ulsan overcome weekend wobble to beat Suwon FC 3-1

Football

Published: 08 Jun. 2023, 17:31 Updated: 08 Jun. 2023, 18:10

Ulsan overcome weekend wobble to beat Suwon FC 3-1

Ulsan Hyundai's Joo Min-kyu, center, celebrates after scoring a goal against Suwon FC at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

K League leaders Ulsan Hyundai redeemed themselves from a loss over the weekend with a 3-1 win against Suwon FC on Tuesday, while FC Seoul failed to climb back to second place the following day.

Ulsan, who had suffered a 2-0 loss to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Saturday, faced Suwon FC in Suwon, Gyeonggi and grabbed three points after a dominant performance in the second half.

The first half did not go as planned for Ulsan, with the team having much less possession and conceding a goal to Yoon Bitgaram in the 17th minute.

The league leaders substituted Lee Chung-yong and Valeri Qazaishvili right after the second half to reinforce their attacks.

Martin Adam then equalized in the 69th minute, before Joo Min-kyu found the back of the net in the 87th minute with a ball that Yoon failed to clear in front of goal.

That goal made Joo the league’s top scorer with nine goals.

Qazaishvili further extended the team’s lead in the 92nd minute with goal No. 3 and ended the game at 3-1.

Tuesday’s game was the last for Suwon FC’s Park Joo-ho, who retired from football after a 15-year professional career.

Suwon FC's Park Joo-ho, right, poses for a photo with Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-joon during his retirement ceremony at Suwon Sport Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

The 36-year-old midfielder played for multiple European teams like Mainz and Borussia Dortmund in the 2010s and has 40 caps with the Korean national team.

The Pohang Steelers also played at home Tuesday against Jeju United and secured a 2-1 victory thanks to Park Seung-wook’s winner in the 92nd minute.

The two teams swapped their positions on the table after the match — the Steelers now sitting in second and Jeju in fourth.

Four other teams played the next day.

Jeonbuk, who handed Ulsan their second loss of the season on Saturday, rode that momentum with a 1-0 victory over Daegu FC at home.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' Song Min-kyu celebrates after scoring a goal against Daegu FC at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Song Min-kyu scored the sole goal of the game in style with a curling shot inside the penalty box.

Jeonbuk, who had struggled in the early days of the season, now sit in seventh place — three positions above their spot in the first week of May.

The last-place Suwon Samsung Bluewings, on the other hand, continued to struggle.

The Bluewings faced Gwangju FC at Gwangju Football Stadium and were off to a smooth smart with An Byong-jun’s goal in the 40th minute.

Gwangju’s Thomas Bedinelli, however, tied things up in the 68th minute, before scoring the winner in the 90th minute to end the game 2-1.

The result is concerning for the Bluewings, who have only managed two wins in the league this season. They have not significantly improved despite new manager Kim Byung-su taking the helm last month.

Gangwon FC also lost the match 2-1 to newly-promoted Daejeon Hana Citizen at home. Gangwon have only recorded two wins like the Bluewings and sit just one spot above them.

Elsewhere, FC Seoul, who were looking to reclaim second place, failed to secure the result they needed after a 1-1 draw with Incheon United in Incheon.

Hwang Ui-jo scored his third goal for FC Seoul, but it was not enough to save his side.

FC Seoul players celebrate after Hwang Ui-jo's goal against Incheon United at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The capital side sit in third with 28 points — two points below the second-place Steelers.

The K League will continue on the weekend with league leaders Ulsan taking on Jeju in Ulsan on Saturday.

Daegu will then play Suwon FC at DGB Daegu Bank Park, before Daejeon face Gwangju at Daejeon World Cup Stadium.

Jeonbuk will travel north to Chuncheon, Gangwon to play Gangwon the next day, while FC Seoul play the Steelers in the capital.

The last-place Bluewings’ game against Incheon at Suwon World Cup Stadium will be the last match of the week.

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