Ulsan Defeats Gangwon with Comeback Win Led by Eric's Multi-Goal, Securing 2nd Place

Professional football club Ulsan HD secured a comeback victory against Gangwon FC, powered by a multi-goal performance from Eric, to hold onto second place in K League 1.

Playing at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium earlier today (Nov. 1) for Round 34 of the Hana Bank K League 1 home match, Ulsan overcame an early deficit caused by an own goal from goalkeeper Hwang Byeong-geun, with Eric netting two goals in the second half to turn the game around for a 2-1 win.

With FC Seoul (67 points) having already clinched the title early, Ulsan extended its undefeated streak to three matches (2 wins, 1 draw) with today's victory, bringing its tally to 54 points and maintaining second place.

The gap with third-place Daejeon Hana Citizen (50 points) stands at 4 points.

The opening goal went to Gangwon.

In the 40th minute of the first half, Gangwon's Kim Dae-won slipped a pass behind the defensive line. Mo Jae-hyun received it on the left side of the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot that brushed past goalkeeper Hwang Byeong-geun's legs, hit the goalpost, and bounced back off Hwang's back to cross the goal line.

Hwang Byeong-geun, who transferred to Ulsan this summer after playing for FC Anyang, made his first league appearance for the team today in place of Cho Hyun-woo, who was absent due to his wife giving birth.

Ulsan substituted out Lee Kyu-seong at the start of the second half to bring in league top scorer Yago (16 goals).

In the 11th minute of the second half, Lee Hee-gyun was replaced by Eric, and in the 22nd minute, Park Yong-woo was swapped for Bojanic to bolster the team's offensive firepower.

Ultimately, in the 24th minute of the second half, Cho Hyun-taek sent a cross from the left that grazed a Gangwon defender's head and dropped in front of the goal, where Eric finished it with a left-footed shot to equalize.

Buoyed by the momentum, Ulsan turned the match around in the 39th minute of the second half when Cho Hyun-taek intercepted the ball near the center circle, dribbled forward, and slipped a pass to Eric, who drove a right-footed shot home from the center of the penalty box.

Meanwhile, Jeju SK, sitting 7th, and Pohang Steelers, sitting 9th, who are competing in Final B, faced off at the Pohang Steel Yard and played to a 1-1 draw.

Jeju's Negueba opened the scoring in the 29th minute of the first half, but Pohang's Wanderson leveled the score by converting a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time.

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