Ulsan HD aiming for top spot in title 'six-pointer' with Gangwon FC

Level on points, it’s a six-pointer this Friday night when Ulsan HD take on league leaders Gangwon FC, looking to reclaim top spot.
Image via Ulsan HD press release

Ulsan HD welcome Gangwon FC into the tiger’s lair as they aim to reclaim the lead in the title race. Ulsan will face Gangwon in Round 30 of the 2024 Hana Bank K League 1 at Munsu Football Stadium on September 13th at 7:30 PM.

After 29 games, Ulsan currently find themselves in second place with 51 points, having recorded 15 wins, six draws, and right losses. Although they are level with Gangwon on 51 points, they trail having scored five fewer goals, with 48 goals to Gangwon's 53. A victory in this match would see them rise to the top of the league. It is a crucial six-point game that could significantly impact the title race this season.

During the recent international break, Ulsan had the most players called up among the K League teams—five in total (Jo Hyeon-woo, Kim Young-gwon, Lee Myung-jae, Jung Woo-young, and Joo Min-kyu)—for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian third-round qualifiers against Palestine and Oman. Nevertheless, the team has thoroughly prepared for the match against Gangwon, based around the players who stayed behind.

Under the leadership of head coach Kim Pan-gon, Ulsan have had a successful month. They provided their new manager with a win in his first game in charge, a 1-0 victory over Daegu FC on August 10th. They also secured a thrilling 5-4 win against Pohang Steelers in an epic East Coast Derby on August 31st. Over the course of six matches (four K League 1 games and two Korea Cup semi-final matches), Ulsan have been cruising with four wins, one draw, and just one loss. While competing in both competitions, their dominant and proactive style of play is gradually taking shape. Having reached the Korea Cup final for the first time in four years, Ulsan now have their sights set on taking top spot in the league.

The match is also being billed as the 'Yago Derby'. Yago (11 goals, 2 assists) played for Gangwon in the first half of the season before moving to Ulsan on July 9th. After some initial struggles following his transfer, he found his form just before the break. He scored his first goal for Ulsan in the first leg of the Korea Cup semi-final against Gwangju FC on August 21st. Since then, he has been on a scoring streak, netting goals in three consecutive matches, including in Round 28 of K League 1 against Gwangju and Round 29 against Pohang. Fans are eager to see if he will deliver a decisive blow to his former club, Gangwon.

Another exciting highlight is the emergence of the ‘game-changer’ that Ulsan had long been waiting for—the Georgian star, Giorgi Arabidze. He got warmed up by coming off the bench in the second half during the K League 1 Round 27 match against Suwon FC on August 18th and the first leg of the Korea Cup semi-final against Gwangju on August 21st. Then, on August 31st against Pohang, he shone brightly, scoring a superb left-footed free-kick goal and a curling shot inside the penalty box in the first half. With this, Ulsan have added another powerful weapon to their arsenal.

Ulsan boast a strong historical record against Gangwon with 27 wins, five draws, and four losses. Last season, they had two wins and one loss, while this season they have one win and one loss. The team aims to secure a victory in this match to maintain momentum heading into the first match of the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) league stage against Kawasaki Frontale (Japan).

Last Time Out - Arabidze scores a double as Ulsan HD beat Pohang Steelers 5-4

In Round 29 of the 2024 Hana Bank K League 1 season, which kicked off at Munsu Football Stadium at 7pm on the 31st, Ulsan secured a hard-fought 5-4 victory in the 181st East Coast Derby. Goals from Arabidze (2), Yago, Ludwigson, and Kim Young-gwon gave Ulsan the edge over Pohang. The win saw Ulsan go level on points with first placed Gangwon FC.

Ulsan lined up in a 4-4-2 formation. Yago Cariello and Kang Yun-gu started up front together, with Gustav Ludwigson, Ko Seung-beom, Jung Woo-young, and Arabidze in midfield. The back four consisted of Lee Myung-jae, Kim Young-gwon, Lim Jong-eun, and Yun Il-lok, with Jo Hyeon-woo guarding the goal.

The match started fiercely from the outset, with Ulsan striking the first blow. In the fourth minute, Jung Woo-young played a pass forward in the Pohang half and Ko Seung-beom was fouled by Han Chan-hee while attempting to receive it at the top of the box. A free-kick was awarded, and in the fifth minute, Arabidze curled a left-footed effort into the net for the opening goal.

Pohang quickly retaliated. In the ninth minute, Jeong Jae-hee broke through Ulsan's defensive line and cut the ball back from near the goal line. Hong Yoon-sang rushed in to level the score with a left-footed shot.

Both teams continued to exchange blows. As time went on, Ulsan increased their offensive pressure and Pohang's offensive momentum waned. In the 36th minute, after receiving a pass from Kang Yun-gu, Arabidze broke into the Pohang penalty box and slotted home with a low left-footed shot. However, in the 40th minute, Arabidze went down in pain and, after being checked off the pitch, returned to the game. Ulsan ended the first half with the lead.

In the 57th minute, Ulsan extended their lead. Ko Seung-beom evaded a defender inside the Pohang penalty box and delivered a left-footed cross, which Yago calmly slotted in from close range with his left foot. Kang Min-woo then came on for Lim Jong-eun in the 58th minute.

Tthe flow of the game remained with Ulsan. In the 78th minute, a mishit kick allowed Ulsan's Um Won-sang to take a left-footed shot. In the next play, a similar error saw the ball fall to Ludwigson, who scored with a composed right-footed finish from the corner of the arc. Ludwigson was then substituted for Lee Chung-yong.

Pohang refused to give up and, in the 83rd minute, Jorge broke through by himself and scored with a left-footed shot past Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.

Ulsan pushed forward again. In the 87th minute, back-to-back shots by Ataru and Lee Myung-jae inside the Pohang penalty box were saved by goalkeeper Hwang In-jae. From the resulting corner, Ataru's flick-on found Kim Young-gwon, who sealed the result with a headed goal.

Pohang demonstrated their tenacity by scoring two consolation goals. In the 89th minute, Eo Jeong-won broke into the area and scored. In the second minute of injury time, Lee Tae-seok's left-footed strike brought Pohang back to within one goal of Ulsan. However, Ulsan held firm against the late onslaught to claim the victory.

Via Ulsan HD press release