▲ Diogo and Masa celebrate a goal
Daejeon Hana Citizen extended their unbeaten run to five matches (three wins and two draws) in K League 1 by pulling off a thrilling comeback victory against Jeonbuk Hyundai.
In the Hana Bank K League 1 Round 31 home match against Jeonbuk held at Daejeon World Cup Stadium today (Oct. 9), Daejeon claimed a 2-1 win thanks to the stellar performance of Masa, who came on as a substitute in the second half.
Masa, the Japanese player known for particularly shining in the autumn, lived up to his nickname "Autumn Masa" by scoring an equalizer in the 11th minute of the second half and setting up Diogo's comeback goal in the 39th minute of the second half.
Jeonbuk opened the scoring.
In the 45th minute of the first half, Lee Yeong-jae sent a penetrating pass from near the centerline targeting the space behind Daejeon's final defensive line. Tiago held off a Daejeon defender, controlled the ball exquisitely, and found the back of the net with a right-footed shot.
It was Tiago's second consecutive match with a goal and his ninth goal of the league season.
However, Daejeon leveled the score in the 11th minute of the second half when Masa headed in a cross delivered by Lee Myeong-jae from the left flank.
Masa, tasting goals for the first time in a month, then stripped the ball from national team defender Cho Wi-jae in the 39th minute of the second half and charged into the opponent's territory. Although his right-footed shot was blocked by goalkeeper Song Bum-keun, Diogo finished off the rebound to spearhead the comeback win.
Jeonbuk thought they had equalized in stoppage time of the second half when Dodo scored, but the goal was ruled out following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review after it was determined that Kang Sang-yoon had committed a foul near the centerline just prior to the goal, leaving them disappointed.
Jeonbuk remained in fourth place, slumping with two draws and two losses in their last four matches.
(Photo courtesy of Korea Professional Football League, Yonhap News)
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