Jeonbuk takes lead over Ulsan, first 4 consecutive K-League wins

Jeonbuk Baro (center) is delighted with his teammates after scoring the winning goal. [뉴스1]

Jeonbuk Hyundai laughed at the ‘Hyundai Showdown’, which was the ‘Yes’ final of this season’s K League 1 professional soccer.

Jeonbuk defeated Ulsan Hyundai 1-0 in round 26 of K League 1 held at Ulsan Munsu Stadium on the 25th. In the 19th minute of the second half, Gambian Barrio scored the winning goal. Jeonbuk scored 18 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses (57 points), beating Ulsan (54 points) to take the lead.

Jeonbuk crossed the ninth division crest, leading him to a fourth straight K-League victory for the first time. In the final 27th round on the 1st of next month, Jeonbuk will face Daegu FC and Ulsan will face Gwangju FC. Jeonbuk wins just by drawing. On the other hand, Ulsan should pray that Jeonbuk loses after unconditionally defeating Gwangju. When the points are equal, multiple points are scored, with Ulsan (51 goals) ahead of Jeonbuk (44 goals).

Ulsan fans hung banners in the stands reading ‘No one remembers second place’ and ‘Wait 15 years’. Last season, Ulsan defeated Jeollabuk-do in the final match. Ulsan has been a championship opportunity in 15 years since 2005, and Jeonbuk’s “winning DNA” was stronger.

The winning goal on this day was a defensive error. In the 19th minute of the second half, Ulsan center-back Kim Ki-hee made a mistake trying to connect Jo Hyun-woo with a long header from Jeonbuk. Swansea City’s Barrow, who was replaced in the second half, quickly flooded and scored a goal. Kim Ki-hee is also sent from Jeonbuk’s war in June and has a bad story.

Ulsan Cho Hyun-woo blocks a penalty shot by Jeonbuk Gustavo on matchday 26 of the professional soccer K-League 1 held at the Ulsan Munsu soccer stadium on the 25th. [뉴스1]

Both teams hit the goal twice. At Jeonbuk, Lee Yong-yong in the first half of the 16th minute and Jo Gyu-sung’s mid-range shot in the 44th minute of the first half hit the goal post one after the other. In Ulsan, Bitgaram Yoon successively hit the crossbar in the 23rd minute of the first half and two free throws in the last minute.

In the 33rd minute of the first half, Jeonbuk Gustavo’s header hit Ulsan Kim In-seong’s arm inside the penalty area. There was no intention but the referee declared a penalty kick. Gustavo’s penalty kick was blocked by Jo Hyun-woo. Cho Hyun-woo’s save prevented the goal, but in the end, he lost just 3 losses at Jeonbuk this season.

Meanwhile, this season, the 12th ranked team will be relegated to K-League 2 (second division). The relegation team will go into hiding on the 31st. 10th place Busan I’Park and 11th place Seongnam FC (over 25 points), 12th place Incheon United (24 points) faces 8th place FC Seoul. If Incheon loses to Seoul, it is demoted. Whether he wins, he stays, and whether he wins depends on the outcome of the Busan-Seongnam War.

Reporter Park Lin [email protected]