Will the top ranks of the K-League 1 fluctuate amid Ulsan Hyundai’s leading solo run?
In the 7th round of the K-League 1, Ulsan (18 points), who has won 6 consecutive wins, Daejeon Hana Citizen (11 points) in 4th place, Pohang Steelers (14 points) in 2nd place and FC Seoul (12 points) in 3rd place will face each other. Depending on the result, the composition of the leading group may change drastically.
The match between Ulsan and Daejeon kicks off at 4:30 pm on the 16th at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. After beating Jeonbuk Hyundai 2-1 in the opening match last February, Ulsan, which has been on a winning streak this season, is truly a ‘perfect race’.
Ulsan, who won 4 consecutive victories against Suwon FC (3-0 win) on the 19th of last month, is now starting to create a new history in the K-League. If they win in Daejeon, they will be on par with Suwon Samsung (1998) and Seongnam FC (2003)’s record of 7 consecutive wins since the opening of the K-League. It is a record that comes out in 20 years in the K-League. Afterwards, if they win the home game against the Pohang Steelers in the 8th round on the 22nd, they will write a new history in the K-League.
Under coach Hong Myung-bo, Ulsan boasts a near-perfect offense and defense build-up, scoring 13 goals and conceding 4 goals in the past 6 games. Swedish striker Rubiksson and local striker Ju Min-kyu played the role of solvers, scoring 4 goals and 3 goals, respectively. His firepower, scoring more than 2 goals per game, is outstanding, but the foundation is solid defense. Four runs this season is the least in the league. Not only the last line of defense led by Jeong Seung-hyun and Kim Young-kwon, but also Park Yong-woo’s third line is unmatched. In the 1st to 4th round ‘Packing Index (the number of times an opponent was beaten by a pass or dribble)’ recently released by the Professional Football Federation, Kim Young-kwon and Park Yong-woo were ranked 1st and 2nd overall in the K-League 1. As much as that, he is opening the way to attack with stable possession of the ball from the rear.
The battle against this cannot be ignored. As a ‘promoted team’, they are playing a lot of football in every game. Among them, he scored 14 goals, which is the highest in the K-League 1. I scored 1 more goal than Ulsan. Compared to him, in the last Suwon FC match (2-5 loss), he exposed a problem at the back door by losing a lot, but it seems that he will come out with a more solid defense in Ulsan.
On the front, Thiago, who finished second in K-League 2 scoring (19 goals) last year in Gyeongnam FC, stands out. He made a soft landing in the K-League 1 with 4 goals this season. The expected goal value (xG) is 2.03 points, which is second in K-League 1. He is the type who smells the goal well, and is aiming for a ‘one shot’ in the Ulsan match. 스포츠토토
The match between Pohang and Seoul will be held at Pohang Steel Yard at 4:30 pm on the 15th, the day before. Pohang is on an undefeated road (4 wins, 2 draws) based on coach Kim Ki-dong’s leadership skills, although key players such as Shin Jin-ho have left the team this season. Scores were scored in 5 of the last 6 games, and several players, including Lee Ho-jae (3 goals), Baek Seong-dong, Jeong Jae-hee, and Ko Young-jun (2 more goals), and Jeka (1 goal) scored goals. It doesn’t depend on a specific player. Also, out of 10 total goals, substitutes scored 5 goals, so coach Kim’s mercenary skills matched.
Seoul scored in all 6 matches and recorded a total of 12 goals. Firepower is good. In the 6th round against Daegu FC, which saw the ‘Lim Young-woong effect’, even Hwang Eui-jo, a silent striker, participated in the scoring race and won 3-0. However, the key is how to overcome the aftermath of losing after a penalty shoot-out against K-League 2 Gimpo FC in the midweek FA Cup. The confrontation between Pohang and Seoul is a war without concessions for second place. Again, it seems that it will be a confrontation between ‘window’ and ‘window’.