Seoul scored four goals in the showdown between FC Seoul and Pohang Steelers over Ki Sung-yong's transfer.
Seoul beat Pohang 4-1 in the 21st round of the 'Hana Bank K League 1 2025' held at Sangam World Cup Stadium on the 29th.
With this victory, Seoul (30 points) jumped to sixth place. Pohang (34 points) lost to Seoul and missed the opportunity to rise to third place.
Ahead of the game, the two teams were even hotter due to Ki Sung-yueng's transfer. Ki Sung-yueng recently confirmed his breakup with Seoul and is expected to join Pohang when the process is completed through a medical test on July 3. Seoul promised support for the retirement ceremony and leadership, saying, `I decided to stop my relationship with Ki Sung-yong for a while.' Fans were disappointed. He predicted that he would clearly express his disappointment, including a boycott of cheering. Therefore, attention was inevitable on the confrontation between Seoul, which sent the legend, and Pohang, which will gain a new midfield core.
Seoul was desperate for victory. In six showdowns with Pohang since Kim Ki-dong's inauguration, the team fell behind with one win, two draws and three losses. Although he has achieved compliance with two wins, three draws and one loss in the last six games, the goal-making problem was still frustrating. It was time for an excellent performance to resolve the fans' complaints.
Pohang has been in good spirits lately. He certainly rebounded with four wins, one draw and one loss in six games. Both young resources and veterans are showing the best performance under coach Park Tae-ha. He has dominated the recent two away games in Seoul with one win and one draw.
Seoul came out with a 4-4-2 formation. Lingard, Banks are at the forefront, Jung Seung-won, Ryu Jae-moon, Hwang Do-yoon and Lucas are in the midfield. The defense was built by Park Soo-il, Yazan, Kim Joo-sung and Kim Jin-soo. Kang Hyun-moo defended the goal.
Pohang also faced off with a 4-4-2 formation. Lee Ho-jae and Giorgi are the two-top, while Juninho, Auberdan, Kim Dong-jin, and Eo Jung-won formed the midfield. Shin Kwang-hoon, Jeon Min-kwang, Han Hyun-seo, and Park Seung-wook came out as four backs. Hwang In-jae wore goalkeeper gloves.
Seoul led the game from an early point and scored the first goal. In the 15th minute of the first half, Lucas tripped over Park Seung-wook's leg, which was blocking him while breaking into the penalty box from the left. The referee immediately declared a penalty. Lingard, who played kicker, completely deceived Hwang In-jae and stabbed him in the corner of Pohang's goal.
Pohang, which allowed the first run, launched a counterattack. Juningyo, who received a penetration pass in the 19th minute of the first half, attempted a low and fast shot from the right side of the penalty box but was caught by Kang Hyun-moo.
Seoul worked hard for the extra goal. In the 20th minute of the first half, the ball taken from the center through pressure was connected to Kim Jin-soo, who dug into the left. Kim Jin-su's cross hit the foot of Jung Seung-won, who rushed to the gate, and headed straight into the goal. However, Jung Seung-won's position was pointed out as offside and was not recognized as a score.
After losing points, Pohang's exit variable also burst. In the 28th minute of the first half, Oberdan used his elbow during the contest with Hwang Do-yoon, and the referee declared his exit as a result of VAR reading.
Seoul widened the gap. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Lucas caught Hwang Do-yoon's pass from the front of the box with a backheel and faced a one-on-one opportunity. Lucas finished calmly and shook the Pohang net.
Seoul had no intention of stopping the offensive. In the 40th minute of the first half, Lingard's low and fast shot aimed at the corner of the goal was caught by Hwang In-jae. In the 45th minute of the first half, Banks' shot in the center of the box, which received Lucas' pass, also went straight to the goalkeeper.
The team that gained momentum in the second half was Seoul. In the 5th minute of the second half, Moon Sun-min finished Lingard's kick with a header, but Hwang In-jae saved. In the ensuing corner kick, Yazan's header headed over the net.
Pohang also sought a chance to make a comeback. In the 13th minute of the second half, Giorgi broke through the defense himself and tried to shoot from deep on the right side of the box. The ball went to the side of the net.
Pohang recovered one goal despite its numerical inferiority. In the 29th minute of the second half, Lee Dong-hee pushed a cross from a corner kick to the header.
Seoul, which allowed a run, sealed the game with its fourth goal. In the 40th minute of the second half, Klimala received a penetration pass and advanced into the box, and accurately stabbed the corner of the goal. Klimala scored her K-League debut goal after moving to Seoul.
In the end, the game ended with a 4-1 victory for Seoul.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
