Daejeon come back to beat Jeonbuk
Daejeon Hana Citizen came from behind to beat Jeonbuk Hyundai 2-1 in Round 31 of K League 1 at Daejeon World Cup Stadium on the 9th. Jeonbuk led through Thiago in the 44th minute, but Masa headed in an equalizer in the 56th and Diogo scored the winner in the 84th. It was Daejeon’s first home win over Jeonbuk in 18 years and five months, since April 2008, and extended its unbeaten run to five games as it held on to sixth place. Jeonbuk, meanwhile, went winless for a fourth straight game and slipped to fifth. With two regular-round games left for each team, the race for a Final A spot is heating up.
Source: My Daily
Incheon cruise past Pohang 3-0
Incheon United beat the Pohang Steelers 3-0 in Round 31 of K League 1 at Incheon Football Stadium on the 9th, with all three goals coming in the first half. In the 17th minute, Lee Min-hyuk tapped in a loose ball after Kim Seong-min’s cross was blocked by the goalkeeper, his first goal since joining on loan in August. Late in the half, Lee Chung-yong finished with a right-footed strike from distance after Lee Min-hyuk intercepted the ball and teed him up. In first-half stoppage time, Mugoša took a pass from Juan Ibiza, beat his defender and curled in his 13th goal of the season. Incheon moved past Pohang into seventh place on 42 points, one behind sixth-place Daejeon (43), and ended an eight-game winless run against Pohang.
Source: Money Today
Gangwon beat Bucheon, rise to 3rd
Gangwon FC beat Bucheon FC 2-0 at home in Round 31 of K League 1 on the 9th. After a goalless first half, Gangwon broke the deadlock after the break: Kim Dae-won converted a penalty in the 72nd minute, and Kim Gun-hee added a second in the 80th to settle it. The win lifted Gangwon to third place, putting it a step ahead in the race for Final A. With Daejeon beating Jeonbuk and Incheon beating Pohang on the same day, the table has become even tighter with two regular-round games left.
Source: My Daily
Lee Chung-yong cautious on national team
Incheon United veteran Lee Chung-yong spoke cautiously about the recent controversy surrounding the South Korean national team after the 3-0 win over Pohang on the 9th. Comments from players drew attention after the friendly against Venezuela on the 2nd, and right after the match against Uzbekistan on the 6th, reports emerged that key players born in 1996 were considering retiring from international football (Hwang In-beom denied this). Lee, who scored against Pohang, said, “I don’t have anything in particular to say about the national team,” adding, “If there are problems, I think the best thing is to watch and let them be resolved well.” He also said, “The national team is not a place for personal ambition.”
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Park Tae-ha: “Unworthy of our fans”
Pohang Steelers manager Park Tae-ha voiced his disappointment after a 3-0 defeat away at Incheon on the 9th, saying, “I think it was a score that is disrespectful to the fans who supported us so passionately.” Pohang lost control from the start, conceding to Lee Min-hyuk in the 17th minute and then to Lee Chung-yong and Mugoša to go into halftime 3-0 down. Park said there had been positives in preparation, but that moments when Incheon easily escaped Pohang’s high press led to the goals. Now 11-7-13 with 40 points, Pohang must fight for a Final A place with two regular-round games left. Park vowed to analyze the match carefully amid a tight schedule and deliver a better result next time.
Source: Money Today
FC Seoul 10 points from the title
K League 1 leaders FC Seoul are pushing for their first title in 10 years, since 2016. On 62 points, Seoul are 15 clear of second-place Ulsan HD (47), so adding 10 more points over their remaining eight games would clinch the title even if Ulsan win all of theirs. Up front, Klimala leads the scoring chart with 13 goals, level with Ulsan’s Yago, and Jung Seung-won has eight. At the back, Seoul have conceded just 25 goals, the fewest of the 12 teams. After losing 2-1 to Pohang on September 20, Seoul host Jeju SK in Round 31 at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 10th, looking for their first win in three weeks. The two sides have won one game each this season, both by a 2-1 score.
Source: Newsis