The K League Classic kicked off last weekend, and there were AFC Champions League midweek matches. A round up of how the Korean teams and players did.
K League Classic Week 1
The K League Classic returned with revenge matches, surprise upsets, and (sadly) one big thumping.
Pohang Steelers 0 – 1 Ulsan Hyundai
Jeonbuk Motors 3 – 0 Busan IPark (sniff, sniff)
FC Seoul 0 – 1 Jeonnam Dragons
Gyeongnam FC 1 – 0 Seongnam FC
Sangju Sangmu 2 – 2 Incheon United
Jeju United 0 – 1 Suwon Samsung
Mini-recaps
Ulsan Hyundai secured a smidgen of revenge on Pohang Steelers in the season’s curtain raiser, a repeat of the final game of last season. Ulsan secured the win after on Kim Shin-Wook’s lone goal.
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Preseason favorites Jeonbuk Motors got off to a flyer with a 3-0 thumping of Busan IPark in Jeonju. New signing Han Kyo-Won scored the acrobatic opener, and then long-range strikes from Lee Seung-Gi and Leonardo rounded things off.
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Jeonnam pulled the surprise of the opening week, defeating FC Seoul 1-0 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Lee Hyun-Seung converted a first half penalty, which was the only goal in the game.
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A battle of potential strugglers saw Gyeongnam FC see off Seongnam FC 1-0 in Changwon. Luke Devere scored in stoppage time to give Gyeongnam all three points.
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The week’s most exciting game saw newly promoted Sangju Sangmu hold Incheon United to a 2-2 draw. A crazy last 15 minutes saw Incheon go ahead through Nam Joon-Jae, only for Sangju to score twice through Lee Jung-Hyub and Lee Ho to go ahead. But Incheon had the final say as Lee Hyo-Gyoon scored the tying goal.
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In the final match, an Lee Yong (not the national team one) own-goal was enough for Suwon Samsung to get off to a winning start at the expense of Jeju United.
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AFC Champions League – Matchday 2
Buriram United 1 – 2 Pohang Steelers
Beijing Guoan 1 – 1 FC Seoul
Melbourne Victory 2 – 2 Jeonbuk Motors
Ulsan Hyundai 2 – 0 Kawasaki Frontale
Park Hyun-Jin (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) L1-2 with Central Coast Mariners
Kim Seung-Yong (Central Coast Mariners) W2-1 with Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Kim Jin-Hyeon (Cerezo Osaka) L1-3 to Shandong Luneng
Go Seul-Ki (El Jaish) W2-1 over Bunyodkor
Cho Yong-Hyung (Al Rayyan) W1-0 over Esteghlal
Shin Hyung-Min (Al Jazira) W3-1 over Al Shabab
Kim Young-Gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande) D1-1 with Yokohama F. Marinos
Nam Tae-Hee (Lekhwiya) D0-0 with Tractor Sazi
Lee Jung-Soo (Al Sadd) D1-1 with Al Ahli
Some interesting notes after two rounds of matches. Korea is the only country where it’s clubs are undefeated thus far with a record of 5-3-0. Korea is leading the ‘country table’ with 18 points. Japan has the worst record (of teams with 3-4 teams) at 1-3-4 and just six points. Strange considering the J League is considered the best league in Asia, and that Japan has the strongest national team right now.
Country table
Qatar (four teams) 3-3-2 10/8 (+2) 12pts
UAE (three teams) 3-2-1 10/9 (+1) 11pts
Iran (four teams) 3-2-3 6/7 (-1) 11pts
Saudi Arabia (four teams) 2-2-4 8/11 (-3) 8pts
Uzbekistan (one team) 0-1-1 1/2 (-1) 1pt
South Korea (four teams) 5-3-0 16/6 (+10) 18pts
China (four teams) 2-4-2 11/9 (+2) 10pts
Australia (three teams) 2-2-2 8/12 (-4) 8pts
Japan (four teams) 1-3-4 6/13 (-7) 6pts
Thailand (one team) 0-1-1 2/3 (-1) 1pt
Holy cow! Kim Byung Ji is still playing?!?!
and those goals against busan by jeonbuk were pretty sick, despite the bad D.
oh and thanks for posting the clips. they might be the only way i’ll really start being able follow the K-League a little.