Astonishing Anyang stun Munsu with late winner | OneFootball

Bruno Mota's towering header sealed a famous victory for K League new boys FC Anyang in Munsu on Sunday afternoon. After an incredible backs-against-the-wall display, Anyang's dream start sees them climb to the top of the division and into territory unthinkable at the start of the weekend.

Ulsan HD 0

Bruno Mota won't have to buy a beer in Anyang ever again. The debutant, signed over the winter from Cheonan City FC, rose highest at the back post to meet Yago's brilliant cross and steer his header away from the diving Moon Jeong-in. The goal came deep into injury time. Cue bedlam in the away end.

It was a memorable moment, and must go down as one of the most incredible finishes in modern K League history. FC Anyang, playing in their first game at this level with a team shorn of top flight experience, have just beaten the back-to-back-to-back champions on their home turf.

That they spend the entire 90+ minutes desperately hanging on for their lives will make it all the sweeter. Anyang will take comfort in the fact that goalkeeper Kim Da-sol didn't have to make too many key saves but his team were firmly on the ropes, especially during a chaotic last 10 minutes. Ulsan looked certain to pounce late and take all three points but they just couldn't manage to land that killer blow.

The decisive blow would instead arrive courtesy of Mota. The Brazilian spent 90 minutes chasing lost causes and defending inside his own area but when his moment arrived, he grabbed it decisively. Replacement Yago's cross from the left couldn't have been any more precise, but Mota was still left with work to do.

Ulsan manager Kim Pan-gon made several changes to his team which won their third championship in a row last autumn. Surgery meant reigning MVP Jo Hyeon-woo was replaced in goals by former Seoul E-Land keeper Moon Jeong-in. Captain Kim Yong-kwon brought experience to a back-line featuring three more debutants; Seo Myeong-kwan, Kang Sang-woo, and Yoon Jong-kyu.

In a three-man midfield, Lee Hee-gyun and Lee Jin-hyeon also made their first starts for Ulsan alongside veteran Kim Min-hyeok. And, finally, up front, more experience in the shape of Lee Chung-yong on the right, with former Jeonnam Dragons winger Yoon Jae-suk and ex-Gwangju FC striker Heo Yool making their K League debuts for the defending champions. An unrecognizable team for the Munsu faithful.

Swedish paid Darijan Bojanić and Gustav Ludwigson took their places on the bench, alongside Um Won-sang.

Ryu Byeong-hoon opted for a more settled starting XI even if it didn’t possess too much top flight experience. Centre-back Thomas Oude Kotte, left-winger Kang Ji-hoon, and K League 2 top goal scorer Bruno Mota all made their first league starts for the Violets.

Anyang’s U-22 star of last season, Chae Hyeon-woo, started on the right wing in a 4-4-2 formation on paper but, in reality, K League 2 MVP Matheus Oliveira dropped deep to form a five-man midfield when Anyang were out of possession. Brazilian playmaker Yago and Ri Yong-jik formed a decent replacements bench.

Before the game, the Ulsan fans gave a loud round-of-applause to the visiting team and supporters, which is always a nice touch to mark their K League 1 debut.

Anyang came agonizingly close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute. Oliveira didn’t fully catch his free-kick from the left but somehow it bounced all the way through to Mota at the far post. Anyang’s new signing headed straight at debutant goalkeeper Moon Jeong-in. He could have buried it.

Of course, the ball should never have traveled that far and maybe it was down to Ulsan’s barely recognizably defense and early nerves in front of the home fans. Pleasingly for Anyang, despite the game only being in the early stages, they were showing a level of composure, confidence, and assuredness on the big stage.

Former Gwangju striker Heo Yool had a great opportunity to open his Ulsan account on 18 minutes. The big striker found space just inside the box, opened his body, and went to place the ball over veteran goalkeeper Kim Da-sol. Kim did really well to spread his body, and divert Yool’s shot out for a corner. Heo Yool probably showed too much cuteness when sheer power would likely have put his team ahead.

Ulsan made an early change and positional switch when U-22 player Kang Ji-hoon was sacrificed for Um Won-sang in the 16th minute. That change pushed Lee Chung-yong over to the left flank. Anyang had the best defense in K League 2 last season but their full backs were coming under increasing pressure as Ulsan upped the tempo. Right-back Lee Tae-hee and Lee Chang-yong, especially, were chasing shadows.

As the first half wore on, Anyang sat incredibly deep. Lone striker Bruno was 20 yards inside his own half for the final 15 minutes as Ulsan utterly dominated possession and territory. They won a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas, but apart from a few half-chances, the champions were unable to break the deadlock. Anyang, against the odds, had made it to the break level but this was looking like a very taxing half for the visitors.

Anyang made a positive change to start the second period. Youngster Chae Hyeon-woo was replaced by Yago. Chae was struggling with his defensive duties in the opening period, and was exposed on several occasions. But another reason for the change was to give Mota some support.

Manager Ryu knew that if he didn’t make a change at the break, his team would be unable to hold on for the full 90 minutes. They needed to find ways of keeping the ball up the other end of the field. The problem was any time Anyang advanced – which wasn’t often – they looked out of ideas and therefore struggled to retain possession for more than a half-dozen passes, immediately inviting pressure back on.

The second started exactly as the first ended. Ulsan playing with pace in front of the Anyang box, but the team in white doing enough to hang on. Tellingly, goalkeeper Kim Da-sol wasn't called on to make many saves, which meant Kim Pan-gon would soon make several offensive changes to try and alter the complexion of the match.

Amazingly, Anyang began to settle as we approached the last quarter. They won their first corner kick of the match on 66 minutes following a rare stride into opposition territory for Kim Dong-jin. Having spent the best part of 45 minutes clinging on for dear life, there was an energy about Anyang that was lacking since the opening salvo.

Kim Jong-hyeon was now acting as Anyang’s destroyer-in-chief in midfield, breaking up attacks like he normally does, but at one point basically rugby tackling Venezuelan international Matías Lacava to the turf.

The final ten minutes were wild but I don't think anyone in attendance could have foreseen the finale.

Um Won-sang hit the side netting with 10 minutes to play. It was another heart stopping moment for Anyang, but, again, no shot on target or save for Kim Da-sol to make. Lacava's corner kick was under hit and Anyang could breathe again. Time was now running out and with no sign of an Anyang attack to pinch the game, the question was whether Ulsan could muster up a late winner.

Replacement striker Yago (of Ulsan fame) thought he had won it for the home side but his header brought out a tremendous save by Kim Da-sol, finally called into action. The keeper made a smart stop on the rebound but that wasn't the end of the assault. Ulsan now had their foot firmly on Anyang's throat, harassing their backline into mistakes but despite an epic goalmouth scramble, Yago couldn't find the net.

If that wasn't enough drama, the Anyang Yago flashed a curling shot wide when unmarked 12 yards from goal. Time stood still as Oliveira found his teammate unmarked on the left. Moon Jeong-in was beaten in the Ulsan goal but the ball drifted wide. Within a minute, Lacava had a similar left-footed curling effort slide just past the post. It was breathless stuff.

The stage was then set for Bruno Mota. He missed a good chance in the opening 45 but he was never going to miss again. Mota scored so many winners for Cheonan City in the last 2 years. He's exceptional in the air and could be the key to staying up!

[LISTEN: KLU Podcast. Week 1 Preview]

Up next

Ulsan HD make the short trip north-west to face Daejeon Hana Citizen on Sunday at 14:00. The match offers a potential first outing against his former club for Daejeon Hana's striker Joo Min-kyu.

Buoyant FC Anyang's tough start to the season doesn't get any easier. the Violets travel to Seoul next weekend as part of an opening three-match stand on the road. The game at Sangam kickoff at 16:30 on Saturday. No fears, now.

Best player: Bruno MotaAttendance: 18,718