Capital club FC Seoul defeated Daejeon Citizen 2-1 on Sunday to secure top spot in the 2010 K-League regular season standings and book their place in the two-legged post-season championship playoff final.
Jung Jo-guk gave Nelo Vingada’s men the perfect start after three minutes as he gave FC Seoul an early lead, and though Park Joo-hyun equalised for the visitors midway through the second half Kim Chi-woo netted his first goal in Seoul colours in the 87th minute to ensure the club topped the standings for the first time since they were known as Anyang LG Cheetahs ten years ago.
Jeju United had to settle for second spot and just a point on the final day as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Incheon United, whilst Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won the race to finish third as they crushed Suwon Samsung Bluewings 5-1 in Suwon. Former Suwon forward Enio Oliveira Junior opened the scoring before Lee Dong-guk doubled the lead, and then Jeonbuk’s other former Bluewings Brazilian Luiz Henrique da Silva Alves made it 3-0 on the stroke of half time. A third former Suwon player returned to haunt his old club as Sohn Seung-joon made it 4-0 on the hour mark, and though Kwak Hee-ju pulled one back for the home side Lee Dong-guk grabbed his second of the game in injury time to complete the rout.
A double from Jose Maria Ortigoza Ortiz helped Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i come from behind to win away to Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix as they wrapped up fourth spot, whilst fellow playoff qualifiers Gyeongnam and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma played out a 2-2 draw at the Changwon Football Centre.
Park Hang-seo’s final match in charge of Chunnam Dragons ended in victory as Nam Kwang-hyun and Gong Young-sun were on target in their 2-1 home victory over bottom club Daegu FC, whilst Gangwon FC ensured that Pohang Steelers ended a disappointing 2010 season on a losing note as efforts from Seo Dong-hyun and Ahn Sung-nam gave them a 2-0 win.
Jeonbuk will have home advantage in the first of the post-season playoff matches as they take on Gyeongnam on November 20th, with Seongnam travelling through to face Ulsan a day later on November 21st. The two winners will then face each other on November 24th with the winner of that match flying over to Seogwipo to face Jeju United on November 28th. The winners of that match will welcome FC Seoul to their home stadium on December 1st for the first leg of the championship playoff final, with the second leg scheduled to take place at the Seoul World Cup stadium on December 5th when the 2010 K-League champions will be crowned.
K-League Results (Sunday November 7th, 2010)
Chunnam 2-1 Daegu
FC Seoul 2-1 Daejeon
Gangwon 2-0 Pohang
Gwangju 1-2 Ulsan
Gyeongnam 2-2 Seongnam
Jeju 0-0 Incheon
Suwon 1-5 Jeonbuk
Forthcoming Fixtures: K-League Championship Playoffs
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors v Gyeongnam (Saturday November 20th, 2010)
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i v Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (Sunday November 21st, 2010)
