The K League 1 Wrap-Up: A Midweek Goal Fest

Following an incredibly high-scoring midweek round of K League 1 action which had shock results, big performances and everything in between, columnist Nathan Sartain returns to recap all of the key talking points.

Suwon FC Bring the Heat to the Steelyard

In just two games, Suwon FC are beginning to show clear signs of rejuvenation. And, if their 2-1 win over Gwangju FC was one syringed with resilience, a 5-1 away thrashing of Pohang Steelers was a true return to form.

For most of the first-half, Suwon were patient, looking for quick transitions, but equally comfortable letting Pohang control possession. This strategy paid dividends in due time, with Lee Ji-sol’s headed follow-up from a goal-line clearance putting Kim Eun-jung’s men into the lead at the 20-minute mark. Momentum would then ebb and flow, however, and in fairness to Pohang with the half-time score at 1-2, there did appear to be a clear route back into the game.

However, Suwon would hit their stride in the second period, as soon as the Steelers were caught out on the break and forced to reckon with a red card. From there, a Willyan free-kick widened the scoreline, before the Brazilian would grab himself a second goal less than 15 minutes later. For good measure, defender Ahn Hyeon-beom added a cherry on top of the cake with seven minutes to go, his smart first-time strike when sweeping up from a counter-attack a rightly clinical end to a perfect night out.

Going forward, Kim Eun-jung will want to make these improved performances the norm, as all of a sudden his team look good value for potential safety, even if it may still have to come via a promotion/relegation playoff.

[READ: The K League 1 Wrap-Up: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Find Another Gear Again.]

FC Anyang Breeze Past Daegu FC

While Daegu FC are firmly approaching a crisis situation, FC Anyang got back to winning ways in style at the Sky Blues’ expense with a 4-0 midweek victory. And, although a red card to defender Caio Marcelo helped the Violets feel a full advantage, this was in truth an entirely one-sided affair from a quality standpoint.

Despite seeing just 36% of the ball, Anyang were consistently effective with their attacks, bringing potency and energy to an opposition defence lacking confidence. First the Violets were awarded a penalty thanks to Kim Bo-kyung’s direct run, then the 35-year-old dispatched a free-kick after Yago was fouled on the edge of the box. In the second-half there were then some more sharp counters, the most notable of which came when Bruno Mota finished off a fine move with a curling effort to secure Anyang’s biggest triumph since becoming a top-flight club.

Up next for Anyang is a trip to the in-form Suwon FC, whereas Daegu need to pick themselves up against Pohang Steelers, who may have lost three consecutive games, but still have a clear status and belief advantage.

Jeju SK Stand United Against FC Seoul

It’s fair to say Jeju SK have been an inconsistent outfit in 2025. Just as easily as they can produce a winning streak, they can fall to a disappointing defeat. Similarly, as frequently as they draw closer to a relegation scrap, the Tangerines put together a performance that silences doubters.

This past weekend, Jeju’s more front-footed triumph over FC Anyang belongs in the aforementioned category of doubter-silencing. Nevertheless, it is wins like Wednesday’s 3-2 against a somewhat rotated FC Seoul side that show Kim Hak-beom’s men can also inject some regret into their opposition, who could be accused of expecting to take points from this fixture. With eight of their 16 shots on target, Jeju were impressive here, content to pepper the Seoul box with regularity to ensure at least something would go their way. And, thanks to Rim Chang-woo’s late winner, the Tangerines got what they deserved, and can now look upwards given they are just three points away from a Final A spot.

What Else Happened in Round 23?

On Tuesday, Gwangju FC and Gimcheon Sangmu played out a competitive 1-1 draw, continuing both team’s respectively solid years thus far. Here, high-quality chances were at a premium, with neither side quite doing enough to justify taking the three points, yet by the same token neither deserved to lose. Unsurprisingly it was Jasir Asani and Lee Dong-gyeong who got themselves on the scoresheet, two vital players for these clubs who both still retain top-half ambitions.

Moving onto Wednesday, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors continued business as usual in a 2-0 victory over Gangwon FC, one which means they have now successfully went the equivalent of half a season unbeaten in K League 1 action. Professional is perhaps the best adjective to describe this performance, which never hit any grand highs, yet ensured the Bears were powerless in avoiding defeat.

Continuing the topic of losing, pressure will be rising on Ulsan HD manager Kim Pan-gon after the Horangi were beaten 2-1 at home by Daejeon Hana Citizen. Yes, it may have taken a 94th-minute Kim Joon-beom winner to secure the points for the Purples, and you could argue that the game was balanced enough to make a stalemate a fairer result, though this is the reality of Ulsan this season. Too often they have not had that necessary quality needed to turn their fortunes around, nor played with the type of swagger that allowed them a three consecutive top-flight titles, nor even just ground out hard-fought wins. Something has to give, especially with time running out on the regular season.

So, that’s all for now! This column will be back at the weekend after another round of fixtures as the season keeps on rolling.