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Steelers knock Sangmu off top spot in midweek K League action

Published: 04 Apr. 2024, 11:12 Updated: 04 Apr. 2024, 14:09

PAIK JI-HWAN
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FC Seoul forward Stanislav Iljutcenko, right, celebrates scoring a goal during a K League 1 match against Gimcheon Sangmu at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The Pohang Steelers topped the K League 1 table after a 1-1 draw with Suwon FC on Tuesday, pushing Gimcheon Sangmu down to second and Ulsan HD to third.

Four teams were back in league action on Tuesday, only three days after the weekend fixtures wrapped up.

The Steelers faced Suwon at Pohang Steelyard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang and blew away a lead to draw 1-1, but one point was enough to send the Pohang side to the top of the league table, where they are now one point clear of second-place Gimcheon.

The Pohang Steelers celebrate after a 1-1 draw with Suwon FC at Pohang Steelyard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang in a photo shared on the Steelers' official Instagram account on Wednesday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Defending champions Ulsan, meanwhile, lost 2-0 to Daejeon Hana Citizen in Daejeon, recording their first loss of the 2024 season.

For Daejeon, it was their first win of the campaign, having recorded one win, two draws and two losses so far.

The eight other teams played on Wednesday.

FC Seoul beat newly-promoted Gimcheon 5-1 in the capital and secured their biggest victory of the season, with Stanislav Iljutcenko scoring a double and three goals added by Cho Young-wook, Lim Sang-hyub and Park Dong-jin.

Former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, however, was not even on the FC Seoul roster due to injury.

Jesse Lingard watches a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Gimcheon Sangmu from the bench at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Since making a surprising move to Seoul ahead of the 2024 season, Lingard has played three games but his impact has been hardly visible, having yet to record a single assist or goal.

FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong said last month after a match against Jeju United that Lingard did not play hard enough and said “fame does not win football games.”

Elsewhere, Jeju beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-0 at home, pushing Jeonbuk to the bottom of the table.

Jeju United players celebrate after Ye Hong-gyu scored a goal during a K League 1 match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Jeju on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

This season so far for Jeonbuk has been even worse than the early days of last season, when the nine-time K League 1 champions fell to ninth place on the 12-team table.

With three draws and two losses under their belt, Jeonbuk are the only winless team in the league.

The struggle comes despite having reinforced the squad in every position. New signee Tiago Orobo has only scored one goal in five games — a stark contrast to his form last season at Daejeon Hana Citizen where he scored 17 goals.

Over in Chuncheon, Gangwon, Gangwon FC thrashed Daegu FC 3-0 and recorded their first win of the season.

The match between Gwangju FC and Incheon United in Gwangju, on the other hand, was a fierce contest that ended with a 3-2 victory for Incheon after a stoppage time winner from Gerso Fernandes.

All 12 teams will play one more fixture this weekend, with reigning champions Ulsan facing Suwon at home on Saturday.

Jeju will fly north to take on Incheon, while Gimcheon will play Gwangju in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang.

FC Seoul will travel down south to face Daegu, and winless Jeonbuk will take on Gangwon at home.

The clash between the league leader Steelers and Daejeon at Daejeon World Cup Stadium will be the last match of the weekend.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]