Ulsan Hyundai extend lead with 3-2 win over FC Seoul

Ulsan Hyundai stretched their lead to 11 points at the top of the K League table after a 3-2 victory against second-place FC Seoul on Sunday, showing their dominance to record their 11th win of the 2023 season.

Ulsan Hyundai's Valeri Qazaishvili shoots during a K League game against FC Seoul at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Sunday. [YONHAP]

Ulsan Hyundai stretched their lead to 11 points at the top of the K League table after a 3-2 victory against second-place FC Seoul on Sunday, showing their dominance to record their 11th win of the 2023 season.

League leaders Ulsan faced Seoul for the second time this season and started the game the way they wanted, grabbing the lead with Martin Adam’s goal in the 14th minute.

No more goals followed in the first half, but FC Seoul’s Kim Shin-jin scored an equalizer in style with a volley in the 46th minute to tie things up.

Ulsan’s Valeri Qazaishvili, however, scored the go-ahead goal two minutes later to regain the team’s lead, followed by his second with a volley in the 67th minute.

The 3-1 victory for Ulsan seemed like the end result, but FC Seoul’s Park Soo-il scored a late goal in the 91st minute to end the game 3-2.

The win was Ulsan's second over Seoul this season, with the first match in March having ended with a 2-1 win for the league leaders.

The Pohang Steelers also managed a 3-2 victory the day before Ulsan’s game, beating newly-promoted Daejeon Hana Citizen in Pohang, North Gyeongsang.

The match was a thriller as it saw four out of five goals in a space of 24 minutes before Goh Young-jun’s winner in the 90th minute secured the Steelers’ sixth win of the season.

The last-place Suwon Samsung Bluewings played the same day and managed a 2-0 victory over 11th-place Gangwon FC in Chuncheon, Gangwon, recording their first win under newly-appointed manager Kim Byung-soo and second victory of the season.

The match result did not change either side’s standings.

Daegu FC also managed a 2-0 win over Gwangju FC in Gwangju.

Sunday’s game between Jeju United and Suwon FC was a game to watch, with Jeju thrashing Suwon 5-0 in front of their own fans.

Jeju United's Lee Joo-yong, right, dribbles during a K League game against Suwon FC at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi, in a photo shared on Jeju's official Facebook page on Monday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Seo Jin-su struck twice in the 42nd and 68th minutem and Ahn Tae-hyun made it 3-0 in the 77th minute, followed by Kim Ju-gong’s another effort in the 83rd minute and No. 5 by Yuri Jonathan.

Jeju climbed two spots up to third after the huge victory, while Suwon FC slipped one position down to seventh.

Jeju, who had struggled in the early days of the season, is now riding a five-game winning streak.

Last season’s runners-up Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, on the other hand, continued to struggle, recording a goalless draw with Incheon United in Incheon.

Jeonbuk went one place down to eighth after the draw, with Incheon remaining in 10th.

The K League will continue this weekend with FC Seoul taking on third-place Jeju in the capital.

Incheon will face Gwangju at home, while Daejeon will play Daegu in Daejeon.

The Steelers will travel to Chuncheon, Gangwon the next day to play Gangwon, followed by Ulsan’s clash with the Bluewings in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

Jeonbuk’s game against Suwon FC at Jeonju World Cup Stadium will be the last match of the week.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]