Goals Galore as the K-League Returns With a Bang

By: Brett | June 22nd, 2009

It was the week where the K-League resumed after a month-long break, only to be greeted by torrential rain, unbearable heat and energy sapping humidity. The week which saw high drama at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday and two surprise maulings on Sunday. Only one team managed to keep a clean sheet and four players scored doubles. It was the week where defending champions Suwon Samsung finally got their second win of the season. So did Pohang Steelers. And Daejeon Citizens.

Week twelve in the K-League and one could say it was the week which pretty much had it all. It had upsets, almost upsets and moments of sheer class. But, more than anything else, it had goals. Lots of them. Twenty six of them in fact. A season record. Lee Dong-Gook kicked things off on Saturday, grabbing two in the Jeolla Derby as Jeonbuk Hyundai steamrolled over the Chunnam Dragons. He now sits alone at the top of the goal scorers charts, one clear of Brazilian Adrian Chuva who grabbed the consolation goal for the home side.

There were five goals in 40 minutes in Gangwon as the homeside demolished Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Kim Bong-Kyum got two and Kim Young-Hoo and Oh Won-Jong one a piece in what was a brilliant display of fearless, attacking football. There were five goals at the in Incheon World Cup Stadium. Trouble was, four of them were scored by the visitors. Two from Yoo Chang-Hun and one each for Shin Hyung-Min and Song Chang-Ho gave Pohang Steelers an incredible win which will send them into their midweek Asian Champions League round of sixteen clash with the Newcastle Jets full of confidence. There were five more goals in Daejeon as the home team grabbed the victory after going two goals up inside the first sixteen minutes courtesy of striker Park Seong-Ho. There was late drama as Busan scored just before stoppage time through Jung Seng-Hoon, but the homeside managed to hold out for the points.

The same can’t be said for Jeju United. A delightful chip from Brazilian striker Olivera gave the islanders the lead with just eight and a half minutes on the clock at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The lead was theirs for the next 74 minutes, when a tame shot from outside the box from FC Seoul’s Koh Myong-Jin eluded everyone, including the outstretched hand of Jeju United keeper Jeon Tae-Hyun to make it 1-1. It looked set to end that way until Park Yong-Ho headed home a delightful cross from Lee Cheong-Young in injury time: 2-1. The winner was so late that the official K-League website had already published the result as 1-1.

Ko Sul-Ki scored what was perhaps the goal of the season so far on Sunday as Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix maintained their top of the table status via a 2-1 victory over a wasteful Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i. A poor clearance from defense was pounced on by the attacker who, from thirty-five metres out, took one look at the goal and smashed an unstoppable bullet into the top corner. It was a strike of true class. Oh Jang-Eun scored from the spot to bring tie the match up at 1-1 before Kim Myoung-Jong decided the game in the 87th minute. The winner was his seventh so far this season. Ulsan coach Kim Ho-Gon was left to lament what may have been, “We missed lots of chances early in the first-half and that is why we couldn’t win.”

Results: FC Seoul 2-1 Jeju United FC, Suwon Samsung 1-0 Daegu FC, Daejeon Citizens 3-2 Busan I’Park, Chunnam Dragons 1-3 Jeonbuk Hyundai, Gangwon FC 4-1 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Gwangju Sangmu 2-1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, Incheon United FC 1-4 Pohang Steelers, Bye – Gyeongnam FC.

Top 5: 1. Gwangju Sangmu (26) 2. FC Seoul (26) 3. Jeonbuk Hyundai (24) 4. Incheon United FC (21) 5. Gangwon FC (16).