Professional soccer’s K League One (K1) Jeonbuk Hyundai scored a crucial goal by Han Gyo-won to push FC Seoul to Final B (7th-12th) and dramatically advance to Final A (1st-6th).
Jeonbuk won 2-0 in the 33rd round of the Hana OneQ K League 2023 against Seoul at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday, with Han Kyowon scoring the opening goal in the 14th minute and Gustavo adding a header in the 29th minute.
With 47 points, Jeonbuk is level on points with fifth-placed Daegu FC (49), but jumped from seventh to fourth on superior goal difference to secure a spot in Final A.
Seoul, on the other hand, remained on 47 points, losing the sixth spot to Incheon United (48 points) and dropping to seventh place and spending the rest of the season in Final B for the fourth consecutive year (2020-2023).
With both teams facing the prospect of dropping out of the Final B with a loss, both teams were cautious on offense and defense.
Jeonbuk took the early lead in the first half.
Jeonbuk wasted a great chance in the third minute when Kim Jin-soo’s left-footed shot from a corner kick went just over the crossbar.
In the fifth minute, Lee Joon-ho was unlucky to have his right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area saved by the goalkeeper after the ball was stolen from strong forward pressure.
After withstanding Jeonbuk’s early offense, Seoul countered with Na Sang-ho.
In the 13th minute, Na Sang-ho’s left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area after a solo dribble on a counterattack went just wide of the right post, and in the 17th minute, Na Sang-ho’s attempt from the right side of the penalty area after getting behind the defense was blocked by the goalkeeper.
In first-half stoppage time, Na Sang-ho collected a ball played in by Ilyuchenko in the middle of the field, beat the final defender, and rattled the post with his left foot from the front of the penalty area.
However, after communicating with the video assistant referee (VAR), the referee ruled Na Sang-ho offside and the goal was nullified.
At the start of the second half, Seoul failed to open up the Jeonbuk goal as Na Sang-ho’s shot narrowly missed the target in the 11th minute and Ilyuchenko’s left-footed shot two minutes later was blocked by a super save from the diving goalkeeper.
While Seoul struggled with indecision, Jeonbuk took the lead.
In the 14th minute of the second half, Jeonbuk raised their hopes of staying in the Final A when Han Gyo-won slotted home a ball from the left side of the penalty area with his left foot in front of the goal.
Shortly after Han Gyo-won’s goal, Jeonbuk introduced Gustavo in the 15th minute of the second half, and Gustavo scored an additional goal with a header from the front of the goal off Ahn Hyun-beom’s left flank cross in the 29th minute to drive a wedge into the ‘Final A’.
At the Suwon World Cup Stadium, bottom-placed Suwon Samsung pulled off an upset with a 1-0 win over second-placed Pohang Steelers, snapping a five-game losing streak and giving acting coach Yeom Ki-hoon his first win under Masu-gil.
The win kept Suwon (25 points) within one point of 11th-place Gangwon FC (26 points), which lost 1-0 to third-place Gwangju FC (54 points) at Gwangju Stadium earlier in the day.
Suwon also closed the gap to six points on 10th-place Suwon FC (31 points), who drew 2-2 with fifth-place Daegu at DGB Daegu Bank Park.
At Munsoo Stadium in Ulsan, leaders Ulsan Hyundai (67 points) were held to a goalless draw by Incheon, but second-placed Pohang (58 points) extended their lead to nine points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Suwon.
Pohang closed the gap on third-place Gwangju to four points, making it difficult for them to stay in second place. 스포츠토토