War clouds hang over the east coast. Ulsan Hyundai, the “absolute first-place” and second-place Pohang Steelers will collide. It is the second ‘East Coast Derby’ in the 2023 season.
Ulsan, which is leading the way with 16 wins, 안전놀이터순위 2 draws and 2 losses and 50 points, has failed to overcome this season. Daejeon Hana Citizen and Pohang. The first meeting with Pohang was on April 22. Pohang put a dagger in Ulsan first. Ko Young-joon scored consecutive goals in the 13th minute of the first half and 9th minute of the second half to take a 2-0 lead. Ulsan seemed to lose, but it was not mesmerized. Joo Min-kyu in the 15th minute of the second half and Baco in the 44th minute shook the net and managed to return the game to square one.
Ulsan reached the top of the K League for the first time in 17 years last year, but the “East Coast Derby” was not pleasant. Since head coach Hong Myung-bo took the helm in 2021, he has a close lead against Pohang with three wins, two draws and two losses, but has been low with two draws and two losses in the last four games. Ulsan should stop the flow, and Pohang should continue. Pohang (37 points, 10 wins, 7 draws and 3 losses) is located just below Ulsan, but the difference in points is 13 points.
Ulsan’s firepower is by far the best in the K League 1. He has an average of 2.2 goals per game. Joo Min-kyu and Baco, who are tied for the lead in scoring, are at the forefront. Rubixson, who has six goals, is in seventh place. Ulsan is the only team with three players from one team in the top 10 scoring categories. In the end, the fate of the “East Coast Derby” also depends on its determination.
Pohang is an unpredictable team. In the last round, Ko Young-joon (6 goals), who boasts the most points in the team, and Baek Sung-dong (7 assists), who helped the most, were out of power side by side due to injuries, but they defeated Suwon FC 3-1. Once again, the ‘motor magic’ proved to be still valid. The home winning rate of 80% (7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss) is also a hill to lean on. Ko Young-joon and Baek Min-dong are also expected to return in the “East Coast Derby.” Pohang will play the 21st round of the “Hana One Q K League 1 2023” against Ulsan at Pohang Steel Yard at 6 p.m. on the 8th.
It will also meet FC Seoul (33 points, 9 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses) in third place and Jeonbuk Hyundai (30 points, 9 wins, 3 draws and 8 losses) in fourth place. Seoul and Jeonbuk will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the 8th at Jeonju World Cup Stadium. Jeonbuk’s rebound, which once fell to 10th place, is fierce. It is four wins and one loss in the last five games. Coach Dan Petrescu (Rumania), who newly took the helm, also reported his first win, making his steps lighter. Seoul, on the other hand, has been slowing down recently. He is undefeated in four consecutive games, but he has one win and three draws. Striker Hwang Ui-jo, who left for Europe, seems to have a large vacancy. Na Sang-ho’s revival is also urgently needed. Jeonbuk and Seoul tied 1-1 in their first match of the season.
On a hot summer day, ‘Friday Night Football’ also cuts the first tape. Jeju United and Daegu FC, Gangwon FC and Gwangju FC will face off at 7:30 p.m. on the 7th at Jeju World Cup Stadium and Gangneung Stadium, respectively. Jeju is in fifth place (29 points, 8 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses) and Daegu is in eighth place (28 points, 7 wins, 7 draws and 6 losses), but the difference in points is only one point, which is expected to be a fierce battle. In the match between Gangwon and Gwangju, the point to watch is whether Yoon Jung-hwan wins for the first time. If Gangwon fails to escape from 10 consecutive games without wins (3 draws and 7 losses), it could fall to the bottom. Suwon FC will bring Incheon United home at 7 p.m. on the 8th, and Daejeon will face Suwon Samsung at 7 p.m. on the 9th at Daejeon World Cup Stadium.