Pohang Steelers won consecutive games by catching Gwangju.
Pohang won 1-0 in the 25th round of the 'Hana Bank K League 1 2025' against Gwangju at Pohang Steelyard on the 10th.
With this victory, Pohang (38 points) has won two consecutive games following the match against Daegu. It is the first time this season that Pohang has won two consecutive games without losing a point. On the other hand, Gwangju (32 points) did not win four consecutive games (1 draw and 3 losses).
Pohang shook off the pain of its previous three consecutive losses through a 1-0 victory over Daegu. In particular, the fact that he won the clean sheet was encouraging. The defense, which allowed as many as 12 runs during its three consecutive losses, was reorganized again and showed a stable performance against Daegu. Along with 'Dapak Jinx', he also smiled, erasing the memory of no victory since 2019 in Daegu's away game. The result of the Gwangju match was important because it had to continue its momentum. However, coach Park Tae-ha's concerns grew due to a power vacuum. Lee Tae-seok, who has been Pohang's main resource since last summer, moved to Vienna, Austria. We had to count on the performance of other resources such as Eo Jung-won and Kang Min-joon.
Gwangju was in a swamp. There was no victory in the last three games with one draw and two losses. The last victory in the league was 2-1 against FC Anyang on June 28, which had to quickly turn the mood around in order to leap to the top. In addition to the performance, other problems also broke out. Ace Asani has signed with Iranian league club Estegral Teheran, who has called for Asani to join early. Gwangju reportedly delivered Asani's transfer fee to Estegral, but no progress has been made yet. In an atmosphere where there was no choice but to be restless, attention was inevitably drawn to director Lee Jung-hyo's choice.
Pohang coach Park Tae-ha chose a 4-4-2 formation. Lee Ho-jae and Jorge were on the front line, and Hong Yoon-sang, Auberdan, Ki Sung-yueng and Kang Min-joon were in the midfield. The defense team consisted of Eo Jung-won, Jeon Min-kwang, Park Seung-wook, and Shin Kwang-hoon. Hwang In-jae defended the goal.
Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo faced off with a 4-4-2 formation. Jung Ji-hoon and Shin Chang-moo are at the forefront, and Hayes, Oh Ho-sung, Choi Kyung-rok and Lee Kang-hyun are at the center field. The defense was formed by Shim Sang-min, Min Sang-ki, and Byun Jun-su. Kim Kyung-min defended the goal.
The two teams faced each other strongly from the beginning of the first half and aimed at each other's goals. In the 12th minute of the first half, Lee Ho-jae hit a sharp cross from Eo Jung-won from the left side to the head at the gate, but unfortunately, he headed in front of the goalkeeper.
Giorgi's tremendous breakthrough came out. Giorgi took the ball through pressure at the half line in the 17th minute of the first half, and Giorgi broke into the box himself. He finished directly past two defenders, but the shot was blocked by Kim Kyung-min.
Pohang couldn't make a decision at the gate in Gwangju. Pohang, which stole the ball after pressure in the 24th minute of the first half, finished it when Eo Jung-won's cross from the side hit the defense. Unfortunately, the low and fast shot went to the side of the goal.
Pohang continued to lead the game and threatened Gwangju. In the 39th minute of the first half, Ki Sung-yueng connected the pass despite Min Sang-ki's foul, and Hong Yoon-sang, who received it, immediately advanced to the front of the opponent's box to finish, but it was in the hands of Kim Kyung-min.
Pohang took the lead by scoring the first goal just before the end of the first half. Giorgi calmly caught Kang Min-joon's cross in the third minute of the first half and delivered the pass to Hong Yoon-sang in front of the box. Hong Yun-sang was stabbed in the corner of the Gwangju goal with an accurate left-footed shot. The first half ended with Pohang's 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Pohang was the first to seek an opportunity. After Giorgi's breakthrough in the third minute of the second half, Kim Kyung-min defended his shot and overcame the crisis.
Gwangju also launched a counterattack. In the 13th minute of the second half, Shim Sang-min's low and fast cross from the left side of the Pohang box headed to the gate, but Hwang In-jae took the lead and caught it.
Pohang worked hard to widen the gap. In the 24th minute of the second half, Giorgi broke through the opponent's pressure at the half line and delivered the pass to Lee Chang-woo, and the attack unfolded. Giorgi, who received the pass again, tried to pass from the right side of the box to the gate, but went a little long and missed the goal line.
In the end, the game ended with Pohang's 1-0 victory.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
