On a day when a number of championship playoff hopefuls failed to record positive results, Cheonan City moved to the top of the combined rankings table with a convincing 3-1 win away at Daejeon Hydro & Nuclear Power.
Cheonan have recorded three wins from their four matches since winning gold at the 91st National Sports Festival football competition in early October, and they were on their way to the three points today when Lee Keun-won put them ahead in the 34th minute. Kwon Yong-nam doubled the lead twenty minutes after the break, and though Daejeon pulled one back almost instantly thanks to a Kim Young-nam goal, Kwon slotted past Kang Sung-il for his second of the match in the 70th minute to move Cheonan a point clear of Busan Transportation Corporation at the top of the combined rankings and up to second in the second stage.
Suwon City remain top of the second stage table but they were held to a goalless draw away to lowly Mokpo City. With Busan idle, Gangneung had the chance to move above them in the combined rankings table but they suffered a devastating 4-2 defeat away to Ansan Hallelujah. Hong Hyung-ki had given the visitors the perfect start in the seventh minute but they found themselves 3-1 down at half-tme. Kim Min-gu sparked hopes of a comeback with his 65th minute goal, but Lee Ju-sang wrapped up the points for the home side with his second of the match deep into injury time.
One-time championship hopefuls Chungju Hummel suffered their third defeat in five matches as a double from Lee Kyung-sik and goals Lee Kim Jin-hee and Shin Hyun-hyo helped Gimhae FC to a 4-1 home victory over Lee Sang-jae’s men. Yongin FC defeated Incheon Korail by the odd goal in five to remain firmly in the championship playoff mix, whilst Ulsan Mipo Dockyard and Goyang Kookmin Bank’s playoff hopes both suffered blows as they played out a goalless draw in Ulsan.
With three rounds of matches remaining Suwon City sit at the top of the second stage standings on 24 points from their twelve matches, one point ahead of Cheonan City who have played the same number of games. Gangneung and Chungju lie joint-third on the 21 point mark though both clubs have played one match fewer than the two sides above them, with Ulsan Mipo fifth on 20 points from eleven games. Cheonan City top the combined rankings table on 44 points, with just three points separating second placed Busan from Goyang in seventh.
National League results (Tuesday October 26th, 2010)
Yesan FC 1-5 Changwon City
Incheon Korail 2-3 Yongin City
Daejeon HNP 1-3 Cheonan City
Ulsan Mipo 0-0 Goyang KB
Gimhae FC 4-1 Chungju Hummel
Ansan Hallelujah 4-2 Gangneung City
Mokpo City 0-0 Suwon City
