Son Jun-ho scores first goal since China release as Suwon beat Ulsan 2-1

The midfielder told reporters after Sunday’s fixture that he wants to return to the Korean national team, where he has made 20 caps. He played his last national team game against Uruguay in March last year.

Suwon FC midfielder Son Jun-ho, center, celebrates scoring a goal during a K League 1 match against Ulsan HD at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Sunday. [SUWON FC]

Suwon FC midfielder Son Jun-ho scored his first goal in the K League 1 in 1,400 days to lead his side to a 2-1 win over defending champions Ulsan HD on Sunday.

Son opened the scoring in the 42nd minute at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, which marked his first K League goal since the goal he scored against Gwangju FC on Oct. 18, 2020 as a Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors player.

After Son’s goal, Anderson Oliveira added one more in the 54th minute. Ulsan put one back in the 71st minute with a goal from Gustav Ludwigson, but that was it for the reigning champions.

Sunday’s goal was also Son’s first time finding the back of the net for Suwon, which he joined in June after a nearly one-year-long detention in China. The former Shandong Taishan midfielder was detained on May 12 last year at an airport in Shanghai in what China called a bribery investigation.

The arrest came amid a crackdown on match-fixing in Chinese football but was interpreted as a possible political move aimed at putting pressure on the Korean government.

Son returned to Korea on March 25 after being held in China for 319 days. He was reportedly cleared of bribery charges following a 10-day closed-door trial in China.

Following his return, Son joined K5 team Kunyoong FC reportedly because he needed time to find his footing in an amateur league before returning to a pro league. The K5 is an amateur league that sits a tier below the semi-professional K4.

The veteran midfielder then returned to professional football, joining Suwon.

He told reporters after Sunday’s fixture that he wants to return to the Korean national team, where he has made 20 caps. He played his last national team game against Uruguay in March last year.

Korea's Son Jun-ho, left, vies for the ball with Brazil's Lucas Paqueta during a 2022 World Cup round of 16 match at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar on Dec. 6, 2022. [YONHAP]

Son is a type of defensive midfielder who can replace Ulsan’s Jung Woo-young in the national team. It will be up to new Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo, who was announced as the new boss in July ahead of the third round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers starting next month.

As for fifth-place Suwon, the 2-1 victory allowed them to tie with fourth-place Pohang Steelers on points at 44. The Steelers edge Suwon out by more goals scored, the second deciding factor.

The two sides are now just one point behind third-place Ulsan, who have slipped down from the top of the table since the end of June.

Over at the top of the table, league leaders Gangwon FC added three points after a 3-2 win against Gwangju at home on Sunday, going four points clear of second-place Gimcheon Sangmu and recording the most wins in a single season in Gangwon's history at 15.

Gangwon FC pose for a photo after a 3-2 win over Gwangju FC at Gangneung Sports Complex in Gangneung, Gangwon in a photo shared on Gangwon FC's official Facebook account on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Last-place Jeonbuk, meanwhile, beat the Steelers 2-1 in Jeonju, North Jeolla on Saturday. A struggling Daejeon Hana Citizen, who sit in 10th place on the 12-team table, also secured a 2-1 win against Incheon United on the same day at home.

Elsewhere, Daegu FC thrashed military club Gimcheon 3-0 at home on Friday.

Over in the capital, FC Seoul beat Jeju United 1-0 on the same day and claimed a fourth straight league win.

The K League will continue this week with the Steelers playing Daegu in Pohang, North Gyeongsang on Aug. 24. Gangwon will travel to the capital to face FC Seoul on the same day, while Incheon take on last-place Jeonbuk in Incheon.

Defending champions Ulsan will travel west to play Gwangju the next day. Gimcheon will face Daejeon at home, and Jeju will fly north to take on Suwon.

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