Professional soccer’s K League 1 Suwon Samsung has won its first back-to-back games of the season and moved out of last place after more than three months.
Suwon won 2-1 away from home against Gangwon FC in the 24th round of the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 at Gangneung Sports Complex in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Feb. 22.
With four wins, six draws and 14 losses for 18 points, Suwon moved up one spot to 11th place, knocking 16th-placed Gangwon (2 wins, 10 draws and 12 losses) down to 12th.
They also narrowed the goal difference to two points with 10th-place Suwon FC (5W, 5D, 14L), who also lost on the day.
Suwon, which pulled off the upset with a 3-1 win over league leaders Ulsan Hyundai on Nov. 15, won its first back-to-back league games this season and returned to the top of the table more than three months after slipping to the bottom in early April.
Suwon took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on a goal by Kim Joo-chan.
Kim, who was born in 2004, scored for the second consecutive game after scoring against Ulsan on Sept. 15 to lead the team’s winning streak.
He scored with a right-footed curling kick from the left diagonal of the penalty area off a ball from Lee Sang-min.
After Kangwon equalized in the 40th minute through Shin Min-woo, Suwon scored the final goal of the match in the 15th minute of the second half when Go Seung-bum cut back a ball from Jeon Jin-woo down the left flank, stopping and slotting it in with his right foot.
Suwon hired Kim Byung-soo in early May and Gangwon hired Yoon Jeong-hwan in June to lead their respective teams out of the bottom half of the table, but for now, the result was a mixed bag.
Gangwon hasn’t won a league game since Yoon’s arrival, drawing four and losing two.
Gwangju FC earned a 1-0 win away to Suwon FC thanks to Doo Hyun-seok’s right-footed mid-range shot in the 43rd minute.
The win was a welcome relief for Gwangju, who had gone a month without a win in league play since beating Jeonbuk Hyundai on June 24.
Suwon FC was unfortunate to take the lead in the 38th minute when Lopez’s mid-range shot was blocked by Gwangju goalkeeper Kim Kyung-min, and the rebounded ball was pounced on by Oh In-pyo and found the back of the net.
Suwon FC, which has lost three straight league games, is winless in nine league matches with three draws and six defeats.
Their last win was a 2-1 victory over Suwon on June 3.
With five wins, five draws, and 14 losses, Suwon FC is stuck in 10th place out of 12 teams with 20 points.
The match between Incheon United and FC Seoul at the Seoul World Cup Stadium saw Incheon hold on to a 1-0 win thanks to Mpoku’s 44th-minute goal.
With eight wins, nine draws, and seven losses, Incheon is in eighth place with 33 points, while Seoul, with 10 wins, seven draws, and seven losses, is in third place with 37 points.
Daejeon Hana Citizens earned a 1-0 win at home against Daegu FC with a goal from Bae Joon-ho, who was a member of the “Top Four” at this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Bae Jun-ho scored his first goal of the season in the 17th minute of the second half, heading home a headed pass from Kim Hyun-woo on a free kick.
With the win, Daejeon, who had gone winless in their last six matches with five draws and one loss, moved up to sixth place.
With Daejeon, Daegu, and Incheon tied at eight wins, nine draws, and seven losses with 33 points, Daejeon moves up to sixth, Daegu to seventh, and Incheon to eighth on goal difference with 35, 27, and 26, respectively.
Competition in the middle of the table is fierce, with Gwangju in fifth place with 34 points (9 wins, 7 draws, 8 losses). 토토사이트