Gimcheon prove too strong for 10-man Pohang Steelers

Gimcheon Sangmu strengthened their hold on second place thanks to a commanding victory over Pohang Steelers on Saturday evening. Second half goals from Lee Dong-gyeong and Won Ki-jon secured all three points for the impressive hosts.

Gimcheon Sangmu 2 (Lee Dong-gyeong 60', Won Ki-jong 87')

Pohang Steelers 0

Gimcheon Sangmu moved four points clear of Pohang Steelers on Saturday night after a clinical display in front of their home fans. Sangmu just about shaded the opening half but the match swung on 42 minutes when centre-back Lee Dong-hee was shown a straight red card for a foul on Lee Dong-jun. Pohang's Lee was the last man back as the nippy winger ghosted past him 25 yards from goal. Contact was extremely limited but once Lee put his arm across his opponent's shoulder, he left the referee with little choice.

Pohang made their advantage count in the final 30 with two goals to give an accurate reflection of the contest. Understandably, Pohang really struggled against a good team in the second period and it was only a matter of time before the hosts scored. Lee Dong-gyeong notched his 11th of the season from close range before Won Ki-jong finished the contest with a late goal.

Park Tae-ha highlighted the red card as the turning point in his post-match comments. The manager confirmed his defender is "upset" but confirmed he will reflect on the decision at a later date. Mid-way through the first half, Pohang thought they took the lead through Brazilian winger Juninho, but an earlier offside spoilt what was an exceptional finish.

Ultimately, the red card had a profound impact on the match. There was no way back once Lee was sent off. Pohang simply couldn't handle Gimcheon's pace and their incredibly talented forward players. Three points and a clean sheet. 

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From a neutral perspective, this fixture has plenty of Korean star quality, notably in attack. For Sangmu, game-changing Lee Dong-gwang is coming to the end of his service with the club, before he returns to struggling Ulsan HD. Lee now has 11 goals and eight assists in 30 matches, and should be a certain pick for K League 1 team of the season. The forward has won man-of-the-match ten times this season following this outing. 

Lee's strike partner Park Sang-hyeok might not get the headlines, but he has chipped in for 10 this year. On the opposing side, Lee Ho-jae is in top form before Asian football returns next week. The striker, whose interview with Paul Neat midweek is available on Patreon, has 13 goals in 2025. Jeon Min-gwang is one of the best defenders in the top flight. And, of course, playing in front of him, the imperious Oberdan, anchored the Pohang midfield.

Gimcheon went closest to opening the scoring on 12 minutes when a brilliant corner routine confused Pohang's rearguard, allowing Jeju winger and captain Kim Seung-sub a clean attempt from the edge of the box. Lee Dong-jun's perfectly weighted cross along the box found the unmarked winger, but despite making good connection, Hwang In-jae palmed the shot over his bar for another corner. Nothing came from it.

Something did from Pohang's first real foray into Gimcheon territory on 23 minutes. Or so we thought. A counter-attack down the left looked to be foiled when goalkeeper Lee Ju-hyeon got down smartly to block Jorge's shot, but the parried shot was allowed to travel all the way to the edge of the box. Former Asan winger Juninho curled a beautiful effort into the top right corner. The goal, however, was chalked off as Jorge was offside in front of the home dugout in the build up.

A major let off for the home side.

The sides began this match in the top half, separated by a single point. With Jeonbuk Hyundai running away with the league, only the relegation fight and battle for AFC spots keeps the league interesting. Gimheon are barred from playing in Asia, so this was an important fixture for Pohang who looked to go second second.

Lee Dong-gyeong was quiet in the opening 30. He saw a rasping 20-yard effort slide just wide of Hwang's goal. At this point, focusing on the match was rather difficult. There was noise from three sections of the stadium. Behind the goal to my left, a small group of Gimcheon supporters sang songs, banged drums, and clapped their hands. Opposite, a much larger away following did the same. But in the grandstand, a DJ blared the theme tune from France '98 as those fans clapped along.

Gimcheon's average gate in 2025 is just 2,630, down significantly on last term. It is possible the DJ is looking to improve the match day experience to bring in more fans, but this is hardly the right method.

Lee Dong-hee reacts to his sending off before the break.

The biggest moment of the match came shortly before the break. Lee Dong-jun collected a long, looping through ball from Lee Dong-gwang, took on Pohang's last man Lee Dong-hee, turned on the afterburners and powered past. Dong-hee put a hand on Dong-jun's shoulder at the edge of the D. Contact was minimal but once the forward went down, the referee only had one option. Straight red. Dong-hee was understandably furious, kicking everything in his path as he made his way to the dressing room. Lee Dong-gwang's free kick was poorly struck, and Pohang survived.

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Pohang made it to half-time level, and introduced Ki Sueng-yong to bring some experience to a side down to 10 men. The problem is Gimcheon are young, fast, and dripping with quality. The men in red were relentless as they ran hard and fast at their tiring opponents. There was no way Pohang could hold on.

Naturally, it was Lee Dong-gwang who opened the scoring on the hour mark. The goal was scrappy - Lee flicked home a cross from three yards after good pressure in the box forced Pohang into a mistake - but it didn't matter. Gimcheon were totally on top now. How many could they get was the overriding feeling. 

Lee Dong-gyeong (14) celebrates.

It might have been two had it not been for a world-class save on 70 minutes from Hwang. Lee Dong-gyeong engineered a great position just outside the six-yard box, and smashed a left-footed volley first time at goal. Hwang went left and made an incredible save. Lee collapsed to his knees, thumping the ground is despair. The goalkeeper was furious with his defense. But their indecision ensured we saw a spectacular save.

Pohang had a purple patch with 15 minutes to go, with their best chance falling to Jorge. That's all Pohang could muster, and with three minutes of normal time remaining, substitute Won Ki-jong doubled Pohang's lead to put the match beyond Pohang's reach.

Up next

Gimcheon Sangmu will enjoy a midweek break before facing Ulsan HD at home next Sunday. The 14:00 kickoff should ensure a decent sized crowd against the defending champions. Ulsan's 1-1 draw with Daegu today means they're still in a relegation battle, and Gimcheon would love to add to their woes in front of their fans.

Pohang will need to pick themselves off the floor because Kaya FC visit on Thursday at 19:00. AFC competition returns to the Steel Yard against the unfancied Filipino side. It'll be interesting to see what side Park Tae-ha puts out as fellow 2nd-placed challengers Daejeon Hana make the short trip to Pohang on Sunday.

Attendance: 3,634.

Best player: Lee Dong-gyeong.