Despite losing another star striker to injury, the Pohang Steelers did not go down without a fight.
Pohang defeated Suwon FC 3-1 at home in the 20th round of the 2023 Hana One Q K League 1 at Pohang Steel Yard on Sunday, thanks to a 41st-minute goal from Grant, a 13th-minute strike from Zeca, and a late Han Chan-hee wedge in stoppage time.
With the win, Pohang improved to 10 wins, seven draws and three losses (37 points), maintaining a 13-point gap on second place Ulsan (50 points), which took sole possession of the top spot after beating Gwangju 1-0 on the same day.
On the 1st, Pohang was hit with a blow: their ‘attacking nucleus’, Baek Sung-dong, sprained his back during training. The loss of Baek Seong-dong, who has been the main striker in Pohang’s jersey this season, is especially devastating as he is tied for first place in K League 1 assists with Leandro (Daejeon) with seven. On top of that, Pohang had a lot of injuries. Shim Sang-min, Kim Jong-woo, Jung Jae-hee, Go Young-joon, and Shin Kwang-hoon were out of the lineup.
Before the game, head coach Kim Ki-dong said, “Recruitment is slowing down.” This meant that the return of players on the injury list was delayed, and Kim was forced to pull out two under-22 cards. Kim Jun-ho, born in 2002, and Cho Jae-hoon, born in 2003. In addition, Yoon Min-ho, who had only appeared in one game this season, was sent to the starting lineup. “There was nothing to worry about,” Kim said, “but the younger players did well in the practice game. I only asked them to play as much as they did in the practice game.”
Suwon FC coach Kim Do-gyun, on the other hand, was confident of a rebound. Midfielder Lee Young-jae was “discharged from the military” and started, and Lopez, who had been chewing up the K League with Jeonbuk, was brought in to replace him. With Rath, Jung Jae-yoon, and Kim Ye-sung in the attacking line, Kim filled the midfield with Kim Sun-min, Lee Young-jae, and Yoon Beetgaram. The back four was Jung Dong-ho, Jackson, Shin Se-wha, and Yong. Park Bae-jong guarded the goal.
The lid was lifted. Pohang threatened their opponents from the first shot, hitting the crossbar in the 13th minute when Park Seung-wook’s cross from the right flank was met by Lee Ho-jae’s header from the edge of the box, but it hit the crossbar.
Pohang, reignited by Yoon Min-ho’s right-footed shot in the 17th minute, had a chance in the 22nd minute when Wandelsson’s cross from the left flank was headed in by Kim In-sung, who was rushing in from the other side, but it hit the crossbar.
In the 35th minute, Kim In-sung fired a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty box that was saved by Hoesim. In the 37th minute, Kim Jun-ho unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot from 25 meters from goal that narrowly missed the left post.
Suwon was outplayed by Pohang’s organization in the first half, with Lee Seung-woo’s shot in the 39th minute being the team’s first shot on target.
The first goal belonged to Pohang. In the 41st minute, Grant rattled the net with a sensational header off a corner kick from Yoon Min-ho.
Pohang continued to attack Suwon FC in the second half. In the fifth minute, Lee Ho-jae collected a ground ball in front of the goal and shot just wide of the left post. In the eighth minute of the second half, Lee was one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper, but his right-footed shot went wide of the goal.
However, Pohang managed to add another goal in the 13th minute of the second half. A cross from the right flank was met by Zeca, who won a battle with a defender in the box and found the back of the net with a powerful header.
Suwon’s offense seemed to come alive when Lopez was substituted in the 20th minute. Lopez’s shot hit the goal post.
However, Pohang managed to add another goal in the 13th minute of the second half. A cross from the right flank was met by Zeca, who won a battle with a defender in the box and found the back of the net with a powerful header.
Suwon’s offense seemed to come alive when Lopez was substituted in the 20th minute. Lopez’s shot hit the goal post.
However, Pohang quickly turned the tide. In the 34th minute of the second half, they made a quick counterattack and aimed for a wedge goal. After Zeca’s left-footed shot was saved by the opposing goalkeeper after a daring breakthrough, the onrushing Oberdan connected with a left-footed shot, but it went just wide of the right post.바카라
Suwon FC, who were battling back and forth, scored the equalizer in the 44th minute. After receiving a pass from Lee Seung-woo on the left side of the penalty box, Ras rattled the net with a light right-footed shot.
However, Pohang continued to push for a goal and managed to score one more. In the second half of stoppage time, Han Chan-hee scored with a fantastic right-footed non-stop shot after the ball was cleared by an opponent in the center of the penalty box.
