Ulsan HD exploded at Munsu. The attacking line centered on Malkeng came fully to life and overwhelmed Gwangju FC.
Ulsan beat Gwangju 5-1 in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 round 8 at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on the 19th. Having been soundly defeated by Seoul, Ulsan succeeded in a turnaround.
With this victory Ulsan moved to 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses with 16 points, closing in on league-leading Seoul.
From the early stages of the match, Ulsan pressed hard. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Jang Si-young stole the ball in the opponent's half and boldly attempted a shot to open the scoring. Then in the 9th minute of the first half, Bojanic broke up the ball in midfield and passed to Malkeng, but it did not result in a finish.
The opening goal belonged to Ulsan. In the 19th minute of the first half, Malkeng shook off a defender inside the penalty box and his cross was finished with an accurate header by Jeong Seung-hyun, breaking the deadlock.
Gwangju immediately countered. In the 20th minute of the first half, Shin Chang-mu, receiving a headed pass from Ahn Hyuk-ju, scored the equalizer with a left-footed non-stop shot, bringing the match back to even.
But the momentum did not last long. Malkeng again dominated the match. In the 27th minute of the first half, Malkeng, receiving a cross from Lee Gyu-seong, won the duel with a defender and struck a powerful shot to rattle the net and regain the lead.
Ulsan did not ease its attacking reins thereafter. Centered on Malkeng and Lee Hee-gyun, they maintained constant pressure on Gwangju and finished the first half leading 2-1.
The second half was effectively Ulsan's solo stage. In the 12th minute of the second half, Malkeng calmly converted a penalty kick to extend the margin. He further lifted the mood with his signature dumbling celebration.
Ulsan continued the momentum by using substitutions appropriately. In the 28th minute of the second half, Lee Dong-gyeong received a one-touch pass from Malkeng and attempted a decisive shot, and in the ensuing play they continued to create chances.
There was also an unexpected variable. In the 32nd minute of the second half, Malkeng went down injured and had to be substituted. However, Ulsan's attack did not stop.
They sealed the result late in the game. In the 45th minute of the second half, Heo Yul scored the clincher with a composed left-footed shot after an individual run. In stoppage time, Lee Dong-gyeong converted a penalty kick to complete the rout.
By contrast, Gwangju fell into a fourth straight loss and remained at the bottom. With the defensive organization collapsed, they ultimately failed to stop Ulsan's attack.
[Photo] Provided by the federation.
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