Moon shines in Seoul's spirited two-goal comeback (Seoul vs Daejeon analysis) | OneFootball

Seoul Salvage Point in Thrilling Comeback Against League Leaders Daejeon

FC Seoul fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against table-topping Daejeon Citizen in an action-packed K League 1 encounter at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday.

First-Half Dominance from Daejeon

Daejeon Citizen, who have been the surprise package of the season, demonstrated why they sit atop the K League standings with a commanding first-half performance. Latvian forward Vladislavs Gutkovskis was the star, converting a penalty in the 43rd minute before doubling the visitors' advantage deep into first-half stoppage time with a clinical finish from Kim Hyeon-Ug's assist.

The visitors' control came despite Seoul's early setbacks, with the hosts forced into two significant substitutions before the half-hour mark. Veteran midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng departed with a hamstring issue, while January signing Jeong Seung-Won also exited with what could be a more serious injury potentially requiring surgery.

Seoul's Spirited Response

Kim Gi-Dong's forced changes ultimately proved decisive as substitute Moon Seon-Min, who arrived from Jeonbuk Motors in January, sparked Seoul's revival. The winger reduced the deficit in the 58th minute, finishing from Kim Jin-Su's delivery.

Just nine minutes later, former Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard completed the comeback, finding the net after good work from the influential Moon, who turned provider to cap an impressive substitute performance.

Title Race Implications

The draw maintains Daejeon's position at the summit with 17 points from eight matches, though their advantage over second-placed Gimcheon Sangmu has been cut to just two points. Seoul remain fourth with 13 points, extending their unbeaten run to five matches.

"We showed great character to come back despite the early injuries disrupting our plans," said Seoul manager Kim Gi-Dong. "Moon Seon-Min made a significant impact from the bench, which is exactly what we need from our squad players."

Daejeon boss Hwang Sun-Hong was more reflective: "We controlled the first half but couldn't adjust to Seoul's second-half approach. When you're two goals ahead, you need to manage the game better."

Looking Ahead

Both teams face crucial fixtures next weekend. Seoul will host Gwangju FC at the World Cup Stadium, while Daejeon face a potentially season-defining trip to second-placed Gimcheon Sangmu.

The injury concerns to Ki Sung-Yueng and Jeong Seung-Won will be a worry for Seoul as they look to maintain their momentum in front of their home supporters, with 20,284 fans braving rainy conditions to witness Saturday's comeback.