Pohang Steelers decorated an eight-match home stretch with victory and succeeded in breaking their losing streak.
Pohang defeated Gwangju FC 1-0 on the 22nd at Pohang Steel Yard in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 round 9. Lee Ho-jae's opening goal in the 4th minute of the first half decided the outcome.
Pohang, having ended the losing streak, recorded 12 points and rose to sixth place. Thanks to that, they were able to pleasantly conclude the eight consecutive home matches they had played earlier for turf repair work. Meanwhile, Gwangju sank into a five-match losing streak and remained last with 6 points.
Pohang scored the opening goal just four minutes into the match. Ki Sung-yueng delivered a free kick from the right, and because the ball did not travel far, a scramble formed in front of the goal. Seizing the chance, Lee Ho-jae connected with a shot and found the net.
Gwangju, hit by the blow, later regained stability and sought an equalizer but failed to create a decisive moment. Pohang also tried to exploit gaps in Gwangju's defense using Ki Sung-yueng's long passes, but the flank attacks did not go as planned. Both teams exchanged several shots in the final minutes of the second half, but no more goals came. Pohang held on until the end and collected three points.
At the same time, FC Anyang and Ulsan HD drew 1-1 on the 22nd at Anyang Sports Complex in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 round 9. The two teams split a point each and sat at 11 points in eighth and 17 points in second, respectively.
Anyang took the lead within 4 minutes. They intercepted the ball near the halfway line and launched a counterattack, and Ailton drove the ball forward and raced. Having shaken off four to five defenders in an instant, he broke into the box and beat goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo with a left-footed shot.
Afterward, Anyang maintained the lead by effectively containing Malcon's aerial threat. Ulsan tested Anyang's goal with crosses, but goalkeeper Kim Jung-hoon's saves continued. Desperate Ulsan made a change in the 23rd minute of the second half, substituting Lee Hee-gyun for the 192 cm tall forward Heo Yul, setting up a 'twin tower' with Malcon.
Ulsan's gamble eventually paid off. In the 37th minute of the second half, Lee Jin-hyun crossed from the left, and Heo Yul finished with a header without jumping. For Anyang, Malcon was well marked by Kwon Kyung-won, but failing to win the physical battle against Heo Yul proved costly. The match ended in a draw.
At Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Jeju SK defeated Daejeon Hana Citizen 1-0 to extend an unbeaten run to five matches (3 wins, 2 draws). Jeju, who had struggled to win early in the season, rose to fifth with 12 points. Conversely, Daejeon, which had bounced back by beating Seoul in the previous round, failed to gain momentum after taking a blow at home.
From the start, Jeju attacked by using Kwon Chang-hoon to cut in from the flank to the center. In the 24th minute of the first half, Park Chang-jun missed a golden opening for the opening goal. Negev won a physical battle with a defender and delivered a perfect ground pass to the opposite side. The goal was open and there were no defenders, but Park Chang-jun's diving attempt with his foot surprisingly went wide.
Park Chang-jun made amends for his mistake by scoring his first goal since transferring to Jeju. In the 44th minute of the first half, Kwon Chang-hoon broke down the right flank with an individual run and penetrated into the box. A deflected pass flowed to the left, and Park Chang-jun connected with a brilliant right-footed curling shot to shake the net.
Daejeon tried to make a change at the start of the second half by bringing on Diogo, but it did not work out. Instead, Daejeon nearly conceded a penalty in the 8th minute of the second half, but it was overturned after an on-field review, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief. However, they could not overturn the result. Jeju faced the misfortune of Lee Tal being substituted after colliding with teammate Célestin in stoppage time of the second half, but they defended well against Daejeon's attacks until the end to preserve the victory.<
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