Jeonbuk Defeats Ulsan 1-0 in K League 1; Motta Scores First Goal in 5 Months

Professional football club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors secured an opportunity for a rebound by winning the 'Hyundai Derby' against Ulsan HD.

Jeonbuk claimed a 1-0 victory over Ulsan with a header-winning goal by Motta early in the second half of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 Round 24 home match held at Jeonju World Cup Stadium today (August 22).

Jeonbuk continued its undefeated streak of three wins in all matches against its 'rival' Ulsan this year.

In their two previous encounters earlier this season, Jeonbuk won 2-0 at home and 3-1 away.

The club also extended its undefeated streak to seven consecutive matches (five wins and two draws) against Ulsan at 'Jeonjuseong' (Jeonju World Cup Stadium).

Above all, Jeonbuk broke its poor run of two consecutive losses in the league for the first time this season.

Including the shocking penalty shootout defeat to Dangjin Citizen FC in the Korea Cup during mid-week, the team had been on a three-match losing streak across all official competitions.

Jeonbuk climbed one spot up to third place with 37 points and 31 goals.

The team fell behind second-place Ulsan (37 goals), which has the same number of points, in goal difference.

The gap with league leaders FC Seoul was maintained at 13 points.

Motta, whose season tally had been stuck at two goals since his match against his 'former team' FC Anyang in March, causing concern for Jeonbuk manager Chung Jung-yong, activated his scoring boots after five months and broke into a broad smile.

Motta displayed sharp movement, including opening Ulsan's goal with a sharp shot after receiving a through ball in the 33rd minute of the first half, although it was ruled offside.

Ulsan fended off Jeonbuk's attacks led by Motta through the ironclad defense of goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.

Jo Hyeon-woo blocked a close-range header shot by Kim Young-bin following Jeonbuk player Kim Jin-gyu's diagonal cross in the 2nd minute of the second half.

However, he could not stop Motta's header in the 10th minute of the second half.

Although a cross sent in by Jeonbuk's Lee Dong-jun after rapidly penetrating the right flank deflected off Ulsan's Lee Jae-sik's head, Motta did not miss the opportunity.

He accurately placed his head on the ball while rushing in to shake the net.

Motta and his Jeonbuk teammates performed a 'farewell ceremony' for Gilvan, a Brazilian rehabilitation physical therapist who is leaving after spending 10 years with the club, following today's match.

In the 19th minute of the second half, Thiago, who had been sidelined due to a jaw fracture, entered the pitch to play his return match after three months.

In the 30th minute of the second half, Jeonbuk's Lee Seung-woo had a fierce verbal argument with Ulsan manager Kim Hyun-seok as he was being substituted out for Italo.

The referee brandished yellow cards in succession to Lee Seung-woo and manager Kim Hyun-seok.

Ulsan tightened the pursuit by sequentially substituting in Malcom in the 14th minute of the second half and Bojanic in the 18th minute, but the expected equalizer did not come.

With Malcom's right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area evading Jeonbuk's defense and slightly missing the left goalpost during the 8th minute of stoppage time in the second half, Jeonbuk's victory was cemented.

At Anyang Stadium, FC Seoul displayed intense concentration by packing in five goals solely in the first half against FC Anyang, achieving a massive 7-0 victory.

Seoul (50 points), which recorded its second consecutive win and an undefeated run of four recent matches (two wins and two draws), became the first among K League 1 teams to reach the '50-point milestone' and continued its march at the top.

This is the second time in history that Seoul has scored seven goals in a single match, following a 7-2 victory over Suwon FC on July 12, 2023.

The record for the most goals scored by a team in a single match in history is Pohang Steelers defeating Jeju United 8-1 on September 13, 2009, prior to the division into K League 1 and 2.

Anyang, which conceded seven goals to Seoul, fell into the quagmire of four consecutive losses and stayed put in 7th place.

'Summer man' Jung Seung-won's feet were hot.

Jung Seung-won turned a cross delivered by Kim Jin-su from the left front of the penalty area into the opening and winning goal just 7 minutes into the first half, and then produced Babec's additional goal with a sharp left-sided corner kick in the 13th minute of the first half, completing multiple attacking points (1 goal, 1 assist) within 13 minutes of kickoff.

Gaining momentum, Seoul tasted their third goal through Moon Seon-min's mid-range shot in the 31st minute of the first half, and finished the first half 5-0 with consecutive scores by Klimala in the 35th minute of the first half and Anderson in the 44th minute.

Seoul wrapped up the goal festival as Jung Seung-won completed his multi-goal performance with a clever chip shot over the goalkeeper in the 8th minute of the second half, and Lee Seung-mo joined the scoring with a header from the right side of the penalty area in the 13th minute of the second half.

At Bucheon Stadium, Bucheon FC completely defeated Pohang Steelers 3-0.

Continuing its upward trend of two consecutive wins and five consecutive matches undefeated (three wins, two draws), Bucheon maintained 9th place with 30 points, while Pohang (31 points), which failed in its attempt for consecutive wins, narrowly held onto 6th place.

Bucheon, which scored the opening and winning goal by Galego in the 16th minute of the first half, completed the landslide victory with Gabriel's additional goal following a pass from Galego, followed by Kim Sang-jun's header-clinching goal in the 44th minute of the second half.

Galego and Gabriel side-by-side led the victory with 1 goal and 1 assist each.

Elsewhere, at Jeju World Cup Stadium, 5th-place Jeju (35 points) and 11th-place Gimcheon Sangmu (26 points) drew without a score.

(Photo provided by Korea Professional Football League, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.