Recap: Joo Min-kyu scores 5th goal of season as Ulsan HD recorded draw at home against FC Seoul

Joo Min-kyu scored his 5th goal of the season as Ulsan HD recorded a draw at home against FC Seoul.

Despite taking the lead through Joo Min-kyu and an own goal, Ulsan had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home with FC Seoul in their Hana Bank K League 1 2024 Round 17 home game, which kicked off at 6pm on the 16th at Munsu Football Stadium, after two goals from Stanislav Iljutcenko. With this draw, Ulsan regained the lead of the title race, and now have 32 points from nine wins, five draws and three losses. Seoul, meanwhile, remain in ninth place with 18 points from four wins, six draws and seven losses.

Home side Ulsan set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Kang Yun-gu, Joo Min-kyu, and Um Won-sang in attack, and Darmian Bojanic, Ataru Esaka, and Ko Seung-beom starting in midfield. Lee Myung-jae, Lim Jong-eun, Kim Kee-hee and Yun Il-lok formed the back four, with Jo Hyeon-woo donning the goalkeeper’s gloves.

The visitors lined up in a 4-4-1-1, with Stanislav Iljutcenko starting on his own up top and Jesse Lingard providing support from behind. Lee Seung-joon, Lee Seung-mo, Ryu Jae-moon, and Han Seung-gyu started in the middle, while Lee Tae-seok, Park Seong-hoon, Kwon Wan-kyu, and Kang Sang-woo formed the back four. Baek Jong-beom was the last line of defence.

Ulsan took the lead in only the first minute of the game. After intercepting Kwon Wan-kyu's pass, Joo Min-kyu feinted once and scored with a right-footed mid-range shot from just inside Seoul’s penalty arc.

After a shaky start to the first half, Seoul began to fight back. In the 12th minute, Lee Seung-joon broke into the Ulsan penalty box and his shot was blocked by Jo Hyeon-woo. Moments later, Iljutcenko’s header from Kang Sang-woo’s cross ended up in the goalkeeper’s arms. In the 21st minute, Kang Sang-woo sent a left-footed mid-range shot straight at Jo Hyeon-woo.

Having been taken aback by Seoul’s salvo, Ulsan then tightened the reins of their own attack. In the 23rd minute, Um Won-sang used his pace to make a break down the Seoul flank before sending in a cross that was caught by Seoul goalkeeper Baek Jong-beom. Both sides then took turns to trade blows, however, Ulsan got lucky with an own goal in the 42nd minute when Lee Myung-jae drove down the Seoul flank and sent in a sharp left-footed cross that hit Lee Tae-seok and went into the back of the net. As a result, Ulsan ended the first half with a two-goal lead.

At the start of the second half, Ulsan brought off Kang Yun-gu and Bojanic to bring on Kim Min-woo and Lee Gyu-sung. Seoul played their hand by taking off Lee Tae-seok and Lee Seung-joon for Choi Jun and Willyan.

Six minutes into the second half, Seoul’s pursuit of the comeback was ignited. Choi Jun broke down the right flank and sent in a low cross with his right foot. Iljutcenko beat Kim Kee-hee to the ball at the near post, stretching to squeeze the ball into the goal.

In the 56th minute, Seoul brought on Takayu Shigehiro for the now-bandaged Lee Seung-mo. Seoul’s spirit was revitalized and in the 63rd minute, Lingard's sudden mid-range shot was saved by Jo Hyeon-woo.

Ulsan brought on Lee Chung-yong for Um Won-sang in the 65th minute to add experience and Ulsan's attack began to look sharper. In the 69th minute, during a scramble in front of goal, Ko Seung-beom’s pass found Joo Min-kyu but his curling right-footed shot was blocked by an opponent.

Seoul made a change to their attack in the 74th minute, taking off Han Seung-gyu and bringing on Lim Sang-hyub. The move paid off. In the 77th minute, Iljutcenko successfully headed home Lim Sang-hyub’s cross.

In the 79th minute, Ulsan introduced Kim Min-hyeok, with Ataru heading back to the bench. In the 83rd minute, Ulsan launched a quick counterattack. Kim Min-woo cut the ball back to Kim Min-hyeok, who took a right-footed shot, but his effort was denied by the defender.

Seoul brought on Park Dong-jin in the 86th minute and Ulsan brought on Choi Kang-min in the 87th. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Yun Il-lok's decisive mid-range shot sailed into the arms of Baek Jong-beom. Just before the final whistle, Kim Min-woo's crucial cross also came to nothing. Despite a fierce battle, no other goals could be scored and both teams shared a point.

Via Ulsan HD Press Release