K League's top 2 clubs end up in hard-fought draw

All News 22:35 August 07, 2022

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- The two best teams in South Korean football played to a draw on Sunday, keeping the title race murky as ever.

Ulsan Hyundai FC couldn't hold on to an early lead over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors as the K League 1 clubs ended in a 1-1 draw at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul.

Ulsan retained their six-point advantage over Jeonbuk at the top of the tables, 52-46, with 13 matches left this season. The two clubs had split their first two meetings this year.

Um Won-sang of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrates his goal against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors during the clubs' K League 1 math at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 7, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Ulsan are undefeated in six contests, with three wins and three draws.

The visiting Ulsan drew first blood, with midfielder Um Won-sang scoring his team-high 11th goal of the season. He also climbed to fourth in league scoring.

Jeonbuk kept pressing for an equalizer, and it finally came 13 minutes into the second half, when Mo Barrow's shot went in off the body of Ulsan defender Kim Kee-hee.

After their opening goal, Ulsan spent the majority of the match trying to defend their turf. They had a couple of chances to untie the match in the 69th minute, though Um's initial shot and the follow-up attempt by Leonardo were both stopped by goalkeeper Song Bum-keun.

Song Min-kyu of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (L) and Seol Young-woo of Ulsan Hyundai FC jostle for position during the clubs' K League 1 math at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 7, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Ulsan are trying to win their first title since 2005, while Jeonbuk are chasing a record sixth consecutive championship.

These two clubs will meet for one final time after the 12 K League 1 teams are split into two tiers. After playing every other team three times each, the top six and the bottom six clubs will be dropped into groups dubbed Final A and Final B. They will play five more matches -- once against every opponent -- within their own group to close out the season.

Also on Sunday, Incheon United rallied past Daegu FC 3-2 to move up to fourth place in the tables. Incheon and Jeju United have the same number of points, with 37, and goals, with 31 each, but Incheon hold the next tiebreak edge in goal difference, plus-3 to plus-1.

Incheon conceded an own goal in the ninth minute, with defender Harrison Delbridge putting a Daegu cross into his own net. Lee Myung-joo got the equalizer for Incheon in the 34th, and then Incheon took a lead in the 66th minute thanks to a goal by Hernandes Rodrigues.

Daegu pulled even courtesy of Kim Jin-hyuk's goal, but Incheon got the last laugh as Kim Do-hyeok found the back on the net in injury time.

Daegu, winless in eight, remained in ninth place with 27 points.