Gwangju defeats Jeju with second-half goal in extra time

Daejeon draws with Gangwon to keep Final A hopes alive

Promoted professional soccer K League 1 side Gwangju FC defeated Jeju United to advance to Final A (1-6) in the race for a spot in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL). Daejeon Hana Citizens, who were promoted alongside Gwangju, dropped to Final B (7th-12th), where they are battling to avoid relegation.

Gwangju won 2-1 away to Jeju in the 32nd round of the Hana One Q K League 2023 at Jeju World Cup Stadium on Jan. 1.

Gwangju remained in third place in the league with 14 wins, 9 draws, and 9 losses for 51 points. With the win, Gwangju clinched a spot in Final A regardless of the outcome of Round 33. Gwangju returns to Final A after a three-season absence following the 2020 season. It is the club's second Final A appearance in its history.

With the loss, Jeju continued its six-match winless streak (1W-5L) despite the resignation of head coach Nam Ki-il. Jeju remained ninth in the league with 35 points from nine wins, eight draws and 15 losses.

Gwangju head coach Lee Jung-hyo and Jeju acting head coach Chung Jo-kook, who were connected as coaches and players in Gwangju and Jeju, played an exploratory game throughout the first half. Both teams played a quiet first half with no scoring chances.

In the second half, Jeju struck first. In the fifth minute of the second half, Kim Seung-seop dribbled inside the penalty box and fired a left-footed shot. The ball hit the goal post.

As Jeju missed chances, Gwangju took the lead. In the 19th minute of the second half, Um Ji Sung received a pass from Heo Yul and rattled the net with a left-footed shot after a scissor dribble. It was Um's fifth goal of the season. Heo Yul recorded her third assist of the season.

Jeju missed another chance to equalize in the 29th minute. Kim Seung-seop broke free on the dribble and aimed a right-footed shot at the far side of the goal. The ball left Kim's foot and headed for the corner of the goal, but it hit the post and bounced away. Kim had the misfortune of hitting both goalposts in the same game.

Jeju managed to find the equalizer. In the 35th minute, Kim Seung-seop sent a cross into the box that Yuri Jonatan headed home. It was Yuri Jonatan's ninth goal of the season.

It looked like the game would end in a draw, but in the third minute of second-half stoppage time, Gwangju's Ha Seung-woon scored a theater goal. After receiving a pass from Um Ji Sung, Ha opened the scoring for Jeju with a right-footed mid-range shot. It was Ha's second goal of the season. Uhm Ji-sung recorded his third assist of the season.

Daejeon, which was promoted from the second division along with Gwangju, failed to qualify for Final A. Gangwon FC and Daejeon tied 1-1 in Round 32 at Gangneung Sports Complex on Jan. 1.

Daejeon remained in eighth place with 42 points from 10 wins, 12 draws and 10 losses. Even with a win in Round 33, Daejeon will not be able to catch sixth-place Incheon United (47 points). Daejeon's hopes of reaching Final A for the first time in the club's history fell short. Daejeon will now fight to stay out of the relegation zone in Final B.

Gangwon finished 11th in the league with 26 points from four wins, 14 draws, and 14 losses. This leaves them unable to close the gap on 10th-placed Suwon FC (30 points), who drew with FC Seoul the previous day to take a point. Only 10th through 12th place can be relegated to the second division.

Daejeon scored the first goal. In the 18th minute of the first half, Masa headed in a ball from Thiago to give Daejeon a 1-0 lead. It was Massa's fifth goal of the season.

Home team Kangwon tied the game at 1-1 just two minutes later. Kim Dae-won won the ball outside the penalty box in the 20th minute and wasted no time in hitting a right-footed mid-range shot. The ball found the corner of the Daejeon goal. It was Kim Dae-won's third goal of the season.

A flurry of offense followed, but no goals were scored and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. 스포츠토토링크