Gwangju beat Ulsan 4-3 for first win in 29 games
Last-placed Gwangju FC beat second-placed Ulsan HD 4-3 in Round 31 of the K League 1 at Gwangju World Cup Stadium on the 11th. It was their first win in seven months, ending a 28-match winless run (11 draws, 17 losses) dating back to a match against Incheon in March. Ulsan led through a first-half goal from Yago, but Gwangju turned it around with an equalizer from Bar Rua and a header from Aidale. Ulsan leveled at 2-2 in the 43rd minute with Kim Young-gwon’s header from a corner, but second-half goals from Shin Chang-moo and Bar Rua put Gwangju 4-2 up. Ulsan could only pull one back through a Yago penalty in stoppage time. “You waited so long, and we won so late that I have nothing to say,” coach Lee Jung-kyu said, apologizing to the fans. Ulsan stayed second with 47 points.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Bar Rua’s two goals, two assists
Gwangju FC winger Bar Rua scored twice and set up two more in the 4-3 win over Ulsan HD on the 11th, having a hand in all four of his team’s goals. In the first half he finished a pass from Ha Seung-woon with his left foot for the equalizer, then crossed from the left for Aidale’s go-ahead goal. After the break, he threaded a through ball for Shin Chang-moo’s goal and headed in Lee Min-ki’s cross to seal the win. He finished with four shots, four key passes and three successful crosses, earning a perfect 10 from football data company Bepro Eleven. Since joining Gwangju in the summer, he had shown flashes of brilliance but drew criticism for his lack of accuracy. On this day, though, he tore Ulsan’s defense apart so thoroughly that Interfootball dubbed him “Gwangju’s Olise.”
Source: Interfootball
Yago takes sole lead with 15 goals
Ulsan HD striker Yago scored twice away at Gwangju FC on the 11th to move into sole possession of the K League 1 scoring lead. He opened the scoring in the first half for his 14th goal of the season and added his 15th from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time, overtaking FC Seoul’s Klimala, who has 14. He also had a goal ruled out for offside. His individual milestone was overshadowed, however, as Ulsan lost 4-3. Ulsan held on to second place with 47 points but missed the chance to pull away from third-placed Gangwon FC and fourth-placed Jeju SK (both on 46). The race for second is set to intensify over the remaining matches.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Gangwon’s Kim Dong-hyun voted fans’ August player
Gangwon FC’s Kim Dong-hyun has been named the club’s Player of the Month for August in a fan vote. He received 805 of 1,099 votes, a commanding 73.2 percent. Kim played in all five of Gangwon’s K League 1 matches in August and scored twice. Against Ulsan HD in Round 23 he struck a long-range winner in a 3-2 victory, a goal that was also selected as the K League’s Goal of the Month for August. In Round 25 against Gwangju FC, he equalized late with another long-range shot to earn a 2-2 draw. “It means even more because the fans chose me themselves,” Kim said. “I will keep doing my best in my role to repay their support.” Gangwon, on 46 points, trail second-placed Ulsan by one point.
Source: Interfootball