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East Coast Derby Preview: Pohang Steelers vs Ulsan Hyundai

league 2022.06.30   I   조회수 1010

The East Coast Derby between Pohang Steelers and Ulsan Hyundai is one of the biggest and most drama-inducing games in the K League calendar. The two giants meet this Saturday in what is the second encounter of the season. A win for Ulsan would preserve the eight-point lead at the top of the table while a win for Pohang could move them into the top three should results elsewhere go their way. 

Recent Form

Pohang Steelers were knocked out of the FA Cup last time out, losing 3-2 to last year's runners up Daegu FC in the quarterfinals. Kim Ki-dong's side are now two matches without a victory in all competitions having drawn their last league game 1-1 to Gimcheon Sangmu. Lim Sang-hyub's 13th-minute opener was cancelled out by Kim Ji-hyun, an Ulsan Hyundai player fulfilling his military service duties. The result takes the Steelers to one win in their last five. Pohang sit fifth in the table but just two points behind third as part of a tight top five. 

Ulsan Hyundai, meanwhile, sit top of the table and do so eight points clear, despite the 0-0 draw to Seongnam FC last weekend. Jeju and Jeonbuk also dropping points meant that the Horangi were able to hold onto their very healthy lead. Hong Myung-bo's men are on a run of two defeats in 10 with six wins and the 0-0 draw with Seongnam was only the third time Ulsan have failed to score in a league match this season. Last time out, Ulsan were taken to extra time and penalties in the FA Cup quarterfinals by K League 2 side Bucheon FC 1995. 

Team News

Pohang's young defensive midfielder Lee Soo-bin is available for selection again after serving a one-match ban following his dismissal in the defeat to Suwon FC a couple of rounds ago. Lee Seung-mo, on the other hand, is suspended after picking up a fifth booking of the season in Pohang's 1-1 draw with Gimcheon. Alex Grant, Park Seung-wook, and Lim Sang-hyub are all just one scribble in a referee's notebook from a suspension of their own. Kim Seung-dae made his return to the matchday squad last time out and could be in line for an appearance this Saturday.

Ulsan have Leonardo back from suspension. The Brazilian missed the 0-0 draw with Seongnam last week after collecting a fifth booking of the season in the 2-1 win over FC Seoul. Defensive midfielder Won Du-jae made his return from injury in the FA Cup having missed the last three matches due to a pelvic injury and so could be in line to play against Pohang this Saturday. 

Head-to-Head

Saturday's clash is the 172nd East Coast Derby. Pohang have the slight historical advantage with 62 wins to Ulsan's 58 and 51 draws. Ulsan, though, have scored more in this fixture with 207 goals to Pohang's 204. Over the last 10 meetings, Ulsan have six wins, Pohang three and one draw. The first encounter of 2022 ended 2-0 to Ulsan thanks to goals from Leonardo and Lim Jong-eun.

Saturday's match is the second East Coast Derby of the season and judging from the same fixture over the last five seasons, the second is usually settled by one goal. This was the case in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. On two occasions in that same time period, Ulsan won the first two East Coast Derbies on two occasions (2017 and 2021) while the two teams have picked up one win each in three different seasons (2018, 2019, 2020). This is the first time Pohang have been at home for a second East Coast Derby of the season since 2017, a match which they lost (2-1). At home in this fixture overall over the last five seasons, Pohang have a record of three wins, four losses and two draws. 

Last season, the teams met three times in the league and once in the ACL, which Pohang eventually won on penalties to seal a place in the final following a 1-1 draw. 


What to Watch

The all-important first goal


Ulsan are the league's top scorers with 28 while Pohang are fourth with 23 goals scored. When either of these two teams takes the lead, they tend to go on and get something. Ulsan have scored the game's opener goal 13 times this season, winning 12 times and drawing once. Pohang have a good record too of seven wins and six draws from 13 games in which they've taken the lead. 

Ulsan have scored most of their goals in the last 15 minutes of matches, though, while Pohang tend to score most of theirs between the 61st and 75th minute. The average time of Ulsan's first goal is in the 48th minute, 39 minutes away from home. Pohang's comes in the 42nd minute, on average, and 32nd minute when playing on their own patch.

Heo Yong-jin has been Pohang's biggest goal threat with six, followed by Lim Sang-hyub with five and Jeong Jae-hee with four. Ulsan, meanwhile, are led by Um Won-sang with eight, Leonardo with seven, Amano Jun with six, and Vako Qazaishvili with four. In terms of scoring the game's first goal, Ulsan's Um Won-sang has four, as does Pohang's Lim Sang-hyub.


Where to Watch



The East Coast Derby between Pohang Steelers and Ulsan Hyundai on Saturday 2nd July kicks off at 19:00 KST and has been chosen by K League's overseas broadcasting partners. Check local listings for details.

Alternatively, the match is available for FREE, LIVE and in HD on TV.KLeague.com

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