Defending National League champions Gangneung City missed the chance to return to the top of both the second stage and combined rankings tables as they stuttered to a goalless draw away to Yongin City during this weekend’s National League action.
Gangneung had looked like running away with the second stage as they hit a rich vein of form and recorded six wins and a draw from their first seven matches, however since returning to action on October 16th after the month-long break for the National Sports Festival the club have picked up just two points from a possible nine.
Suwon City took full advantage of Gangneung’s slip-up to move top of the second stage with a 2-1 win at home to first stage winners Daejeon Hydro & Nuclear Power. A Kim Yoon-sik own goal in the 77th minute gave the home side the lead and then Yoon Dong-min doubled Suwon’s advantage with four minutes remaining. Kim Young-nam struck back for Daejeon seconds before the end however Suwon moved top on the 23 point mark, although second-placed sides Gangneung City and Chungju Hummel are both level on 21 points and each have a game in hand on the leaders.
Chungju secured a morale-boosting 3-1 win at home to former league powerhouse Goyang Kookmin Bank, a result which severely dented Goyang’s hopes of reaching the playoffs through the combined rankings. Kim Kwang-hyun, Kang Suk-gu and Hwang Sun-il were the goal heroes for the home side whilst Don Ji-deok grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.
At the Busan Gudeok stadium Incheon Korail came within a minute of grabbing a much-needed win away to Busan Transportation Corporation, however Lee Yong-seung’s second of the game in injury time meant the sides had to settle for a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw.
The shock result of the weekend came in Changwon where Kim Sun-woo’s 32nd minute header gave lowly Changwon City victory over Ulsan Mipo Dockyard, whilst Yesan FC suffered their customary trouncing at the hands of Cheonan, for whom Hwang Ho-ryung hit a double in a 5-1 win. At the Ansan Wa~ stadium, Lee Ju-sang and Yoon Hyung-tae were on target to give Ansan Hallelujah a 2-0 win over Gimhae FC.
National League results (Friday October 22nd and Saturday October 23rd, 2010)
Changwon City 1-0 Ulsan Mipo
Busan Transport 2-2 Incheon Korail
Cheonan City 5-1 Yesan FC
Suwon City 2-1 Daejeon HNP
Ansan Hallelujah 2-0 Gimhae FC
Yongin City 0-0 Gangneung City
Chungju Hummel 3-1 Goyang KB
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With the playoff positions in Group A of the K3 League already decided, the focus was on the race to finish third and guarantee a spot in the 2011 Korean FA Cup competition. The two main sides in contention for third spot both picked up victories on Saturday, Bucheon FC 1995 winning 5-0 away at Goyang FC and Cheongju Jikji coming back from Yongin with a 2-0 win. Both sides sit level on 43 points with Cheongju enjoying a goal difference of +20 whilst Bucheon sit on +14. Bucheon host league whipping boys Seoul Martyrs next Saturday whilst Cheongju welcome Asan in a final round of matches that is sure to promise plenty of goals.
Icheon Citizen secured their spot in the post season playoffs as their 1-1 draw with Seoul United put them four points clear of third-placed Yangju Citizen in Group B with one round of matches remaining. Indeed Icheon sit three points ahead of second placed Pocheon and enjoy a goal difference advantage of 22 over their nearest rivals meaning they will almost certainly face Group A’s second placed side Gyeongju Citizen in the playoffs.
The battle to face Group A winners Samcheok Sinwoo Electronics will go to the last weekend after Pocheon won 6-1 away at Cheonan FC whilst Yangju secured a single goal victory away to Gwangju Gwangsan. Second placed Pocheon travel to the Nowon Madeul stadium on Saturday to face Seoul United, whilst Yangju host Chuncheon FC needing to win and hope that United can do them a favour if they are to grab second spot.
