2 weeks Ago By [email protected](KoreaTimes)
Joo Min-kyu of Ulsan HD FC, center, is congratulated by teammate Lee Chung-yong, right, after scoring a goal against Pohang Steelers during their K League 1 match at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. Courtesy of Korea Professional Football League Ulsan HD FC shut down their regional rival Pohang Steelers 2-0 on Sunday to move within a victory of capturing their third straight K League 1 title. Ko Seung-beom and Joo Min-kyu had a goal apiece for Ulsan at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as the two-time defending champions improved to 65 points with three matches remaining.
Gangwon FC, who beat Gimcheon Sangmu FC 1-0 on Saturday, are in second place with 61 points. Ulsan and Gangwon will square off at 7:30 p.m.
Friday at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and a win will make Ulsan the K League 1 champs for the third straight season. They would then become only the third club in K League history to win at least three consecutive titles. Pohang played most of the second half down a man, after defender Lee Gyu-baek received a direct red card for a hard challenge on Lee Chung-yong in the 52nd minute.
Gangwon are chasing their first-ever title. Gimcheon, in third place with 57 points, are the only other team with a chance to catch Ulsan with three matches left this season. In the bottom of the tables, last-place Incheon United blanked Gwangju FC 1-0, while the team right above Incheon, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, lost to Jeju United 1-0.
Incheon are still in last place, but they are now just two points behind Jeonbuk at 35. The 12th-place team in the K League 1 at the end of each season will be directly relegated to the K League 2. Teams finishing in 11th and 10th must survive playoffs against K League 2 opponents to stay in the big league the following season.
The K League implemented the promotion-relegation system in 2013, and Jeonbuk, who have won a league-high nine titles, have never been relegated. Jeonbuk and Incheon will face each other Saturday. (Yonhap).
