Ulsan HD aim to wrap up 2024 K League 1 title early with victory over Gangwon FC | OneFootball

Ulsan HD will host Gangwon FC at home on Friday, bidding to secure the league title early.

Ulsan will face Gangwon on November 1st at 7:30 PM at Ulsan Sports Complex in Round 36 of the 2024 Hana Bank K League 1 season.

After 35 games, Ulsan currently top the table with 65 points (19 wins, eight draws, eight losses), closely followed by second-place Gangwon on 61 points. This match is being dubbed the “true final” as Ulsan seeks to defend its throne.

If Ulsan secure victory, they will clinch their third consecutive league title and the coveted “fifth star,” regardless of the results in their two remaining games.

The team’s morale is at its peak. Ulsan kept control of the title race with a 2-0 win in the 182nd East Coast Derby against Pohang Steelers on the 27th. The day before, Gangwon had closed the gap to one point with a 1-0 win over Gimcheon Sangmu. Undeterred, Ulsan played confidently and decisively, turning the East Coast blue with their unique brand of football.

Ulsan’s unbeaten streak now extends to eight games (six wins, two draws). In the Pohang match, Ko Seung-beom (26 games, 3 goals, 2 assists), known as Ulsan’s “Gennaro Gattuso,” scored the opening goal with a tenacious finish from a Gustav Ludwigson cross. This marked his second goal against Pohang, following a goal from a free kick on June 30th.

Ulsan’s star striker Joo Min-kyu (31 games, nine goals, four assists) also broke his scoring drought with a clean finish from Darijan Bojanić's pass in the 65th minute, his first goal since scoring against FC Seoul on July 13th.

Reflecting on his performance, Joo said, “I feel sorry for my teammates who have been defending and making sacrifices for the team. I believe that if I had converted more chances, we would have more points by now. This is my first goal since coach Kim Pan-gon arrived, and I felt I owed the team.” He added, “If I can score the goal that secures the title, it would erase all the struggles of this year. I am determined to score plenty more in the remaining games to bring joy to the coach, my teammates, and our fans.”

This matchup pits attack against defense. Ulsan, on an eight-game unbeaten streak, have kept clean sheets in six of those games, with the only exceptions being high-scoring games such as the 5-4 match against Pohang on August 31st and the 2-1 win over Gimcheon Sangmu on October 6th. Ulsan lead the league with just 36 goals conceded across 35 games. Defenders Kim Young-kwon and Kim Kee-hee kept the back line solid in the Pohang game, and goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, a strong MVP candidate, was outstanding, making five saves. Jo’s record of 36 goals conceded and 14 clean sheets in 35 games underscores his status as the league’s top goalkeeper.

With Joo Min-kyu back on form, Ulsan’s attack is expected to regain its edge. Ulsan ranks second in team goals with 55, just behind Gangwon (60 goals, 50 conceded). If Joo and Yago (29 games, 12 goals, two assists) continue performing well, Ulsan’s offensive power will be formidable. Gangwon, meanwhile, benefit from their young talent, including rising star Yang Min-hyuk (35 games, 11 goals, six assists), who is set to join Tottenham Hotspur in January and who scored the winning goal in their latest match. Ulsan youth academy graduate Lee Sang-heon (34 games, 12 goals, six assists) is also a key player to watch. Ulsan will need their defense to be especially solid in this match.

Ulsan have won two of their three encounters with Gangwon this season. On April 12th, they defeated Gangwon 4-0 with a brace from Joo Min-kyu and goals from Lee Dong-gyeong and Um Won-sang. They lost 1-0 in the away match on May 19th but secured a 2-0 victory at home on September 13th with goals from Kang Yun-gu and Ataru Esaka. Ludwigson, recently back from injury, is in excellent form and provided assists in both of Ulsan’s previous wins over Gangwon. Ulsan have dominated both the recent matchups (eight wins, two losses) and the all-time record (28 wins, five draws, four losses) between these two sides.

Avoiding complacency is crucial for Ulsan. Securing an early league victory would allow the team to focus on other upcoming challenges, including the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) league stage and the Korea Cup final against Pohang on November 30th at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Head coach Kim Pan-gon pledged to win the game, saying, “Rather than viewing the Gangwon game as the last, we should approach each match with a determination to win. As it’s a home game, we must win, but there’s no need to feel the pressure. With the fans’ support, we’ll aim for a great result.”