▲ In this file photo from July 14, 2021, Stefan Mugosa of Incheon United celebrates his goal against FC Seoul during a K League 1 match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)
▲ In this July 25, 2021, file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League, Lars Veldwijk of Suwon FC celebrates his four-goal performance against Ulsan Hyundai FC in a K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ In this Aug. 4, 2021, file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League, Lee Dong-jun of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrates his goal against Daegu FC during a K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ In this file photo from June 6, 2021, Gustavo of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (L) takes a header against Seongnam FC during a K League 1 match at Tancheon Sports Complex in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)

football-matches

2 clubs looking to extend undefeated runs in K League

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- Two clubs once regarded as weak links in South Korean football have positioned themselves in the middle of the pack, well above the relegation zone that many thought they would occupy this deep into the season.

Instead, Incheon United and Suwon FC are both enjoying long, undefeated runs and will look to keep it going this weekend in the K League 1.

Incheon, without a loss in their last eight matches, will visit last-place Gwangju FC at 8 p.m. Sunday at Gwangju Football Stadium in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul.

Incheon won all three matches last month, and their bench boss Jo Sung-hwan was named the Coach of the Month for July. With 30 points, Incheon are in seventh place, just one point behind Suwon FC and Pohang Steelers directly above them.

Incheon were in last place at the end of July in each of the past two years. In 2021, when the season was reduced to 27 matches because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Incheon finished with just 27 points from seven wins, six draws and 14 losses. They already have one more victory this year after 22 matches.

Incheon and Gwangju have split their two meetings so far in 2021, with Gwangju prevailing 2-1 on April 4 and Incheon returning the favor with a 2-1 victory on May 15.

Gwangju will have their hands full against Incheon striker Stefan Mugosa, who had back-to-back two-goal matches on July 23 and July 31, before being held in check by Suwon FC in a scoreless draw last Sunday.

That draw extended Suwon FC's undefeated run to six matches. They have taken down the top three clubs in the league in succession: third-place Suwon Samsung Bluewings by 2-1 on July 20, league-leading Ulsan Hyundai FC by 5-2 on July 25, and then second-place Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors by 1-0 on Aug. 4.

Suwon FC will take on Pohang Steelers at 7 p.m. Sunday at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Pohang won their first two meetings against Suwon FC this year, including a 4-3 win on May 18, but Suwon have since become a different club. Pohang, too, have been a different team, and not in a good way. Since sending their leading scorer, Song Min-kyu, to Jeonbuk in mid-July, Pohang have managed just two goals in four matches while winning only once.

Suwon FC boast the K League 1's top scorer, Lars Veldwijk. The Dutch-born striker netted four goals against Ulsan and leads all players with 13 goals in 22 matches this year.

At the top of the tables, Ulsan hold a 44-39 lead over Jeonbuk in points, but Jeonbuk have two matches in hand.

Ulsan will try to win their third straight match when they visit Jeju United at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Jeonbuk, also winners of the past two, will host FC Seoul at 6 p.m. Sunday.

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