Yoon Bit-garam turned in a man of the match performance for Gyeongnam FC as the Changwon-based side moved clear at the top of the K-League standings following a 3-2 home win over reigning champions and nearest challengers Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Saturday.
The home side took the lead in the 31st minute through substitute Kim In-hwan, who had only entered the pitch three minutes previously following an injury to forward Lee Hoon. Kim then set up Kim Dong-chan for Gyeongnam’s second just after the hour mark, and the lead was stretched to three almost instantly as the inspirational Yoon Bit-garam pounced thirty seconds later to score for the third consecutive match. Enio Oliveira Junior and Kang Seung-jo led the fightback for the visitors but they were unable to find an equaliser and the victory allowed Gyeongnam to pull three points clear at the top.
Jeju United had begun Saturday afternoon level on points with Gyeongnam and Jeonbuk but they found themselves four goals down to lowly Chunnam Dragons after the first 40 minutes. Four different scorers, Jung In-hwan, Kim Myung-joong, Ji Dong-won and Song Jung-hyun, put the home side into a seemingly unassailable position in front of 11,937 fans, and although strikes from Natanael de Souza Santos and Kim Young-shin gave the visitors hope of mounting a comeback, Jeju tumbled to their second league defeat in three matches.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings continued their surge up the table, but had to come back from being a goal down at half-time to dispose of Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i. Kim Shin-wook had given the home side a 26th minute lead, but half-time substitute Marcio Diogo Lobato Rodrigues struck seven minutes after the restart and then Lee Hyun-jin and Shin Young-rok stretched Suwon’s lead. Jose Maria Ortigoza Ortiz scored his eighth of the season for Ulsan three minutes from time but it was the Bluewings who collected the three points.
A Mauricio Molina hattrick set Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma on their way to a 4-1 win at Incheon United, a much-needed win for Shin Tae-yong’s side after two consecutive reverses had threatened to derail their hopes of topping the table. For Incheon, Nam Joon-jae’s 76th minute goal was scant consolation in a game that saw their run of defeats stretch to four with thirteen goals conceded in the process.
Former Suwon frontman Seo Dong-hyun scored his first goal in Gangwon colours ten minutes from half-time away at Daejeon Citizen, and then suffered the distinction of becoming the first ever Gangwon player to be red-carded on the hour mark during their 2-1 win at the Daejeon World Cup stadium. Kim Young-hu scored Gangwon’s winner and his ninth of the season three minutes from time.
Another ex-Suwon striker was on target for his current club at the weekend, as Kim Dong-hyun’s 57th minute strike for Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix cancelled out Hong Sung-yo’s 50th minute opener for home side Busan I’Park as the two sides shared the spoils, and two second half injury time goals from Lee Jin-ho and Yang Seung-won gave Pohang Steelers full points against Daegu FC in Sunday’s solitary match.
K-League Results (Saturday August 14th & Sunday August 15th, 2010)
Gwangju 1-1 Busan
Daejeon 1-2 Ganwgon
Gyeongnam 3-2 Jeonbuk
Ulsan 2-3 Suwon
Chunnam 4-2 Jeju
Incheon 1-4 Seongnam
Daegu 0-2 Pohang
Great recap Holyjoe!