SEOUL– Ulsan Hyundai FC had to put their South Korean football title celebration plans on hold Tuesday, following their draw with Pohang Steelers and then a victory by their nemesis Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Ulsan settled for a 1-1 draw at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, some 380 kilometers southeast of Seoul, where a victory would have given them their first K League 1 title since 2005.
Ulsan still had a chance to secure the crown later in the day, with Jeonbuk, trailing Ulsan by nine points at 73-64, scheduled to play Gangwon FC. As long as Jeonbuk didn’t win, the league title would be Ulsan’s.
But Jeonbuk played the spoiler, with Ku Ja-ryong’s 25th-minute header providing the difference in a 1-0 victory at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul.
Holding a six-point lead in first place with two matches to go, Ulsan still control their own destiny. They can grab the elusive trophy with a win over Gangwon FC on Sunday, regardless of Jeonbuk’s result against Jeju United that same day.
Jeonbuk must win all of their remaining games to have a shot at winning their sixth consecutive title.
Against Pohang, Valeri Qazaishvili gave Ulsan the lead with his 40th-minute goal, but Pohang leveled the score in the 79th minute courtesy of Lee Ho-jae’s header.
Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo apologized to the club’s fans who made the trip to Pohang and asked for more patience.
“It would have been great to secure the title with a victory here. But this was an away match against a tough opponent,” Hong said. “Even though we picked up only one point, I think this is a huge point for us.”
After some cagey, careful moments on either end with few dangerous chances, Qazaishvili put Ulsan on the board in the 40th minute.
Winger Um Won-sang sent a cross from the right wing with pinpoint accuracy, and all Qazaishvili had to do was get his foot on the ball to redirect it into the net. Pohang forward Heo Yong-jun was trailing Qazaishvili on the play and couldn’t quite contain the Georgian midfielder when the pass came over.
Trying to make the slim lead stand, Ulsan locked down defensively in the early moments of the second half. Pohang controlled the ball the majority of the time but couldn’t quite find the lane or space for the equalizer.
Substitute Lim Sang-hyub tested Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo with a close-range strike in the 71st, while Heo Yong-jun misfired from near the penalty spot when a long cross found him alone in the 74th minute.
Pohang finally solved Ulsan’s defense in the 79th, when substitute Lee Ho-jae headed in a Lim Sang-hyub cross to make it 1-1. Lee jumped over center back Kim Young-gwon to score for the first time in 2022.
Ulsan had one last chance to reclaim the lead during stoppage time. But Leonardo’s left-footed shot on a fast break rolled right to goalkeeper Kang Hyeon-mu, setting up a potentially anticlimactic celebration of Ulsan’s championship.
Hong said he did not ask his players to set up a low block and play defense for the entire second half.
“We weren’t able to apply pressure up front, and we were pushed back a little bit,” Hong said. “I don’t think the guys were consciously trying to protect our lead. We just lost a bit of our focus toward the end. We’ll have to regroup quickly to get ready for the next game.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency