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Ulsan Hyundai, which played the 36th round of the "Hana One Q K League 1 2023" at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on the 12th, won 3-2 over the Pohang Steelers.


Ulsan, which already won the K League 1, and Pohang, which won the FA Cup, had secured not only the trophy but also the 2024-2025 Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL). The result of the game was meaningless to the ranking. Ulsan continued its lead with 73 points, while Pohang remained in second place with 60 points.


Ulsan won its fourth East Coast derby this year, recording two wins and two draws against Pohang this year. There were 16,946 spectators on the day.


The home team Ulsan showed a combination in which Jang Si-young, Kim Min-hyuk, and Eom Won-sang supported the frontline resident-gyu, while Lee Chung-yong and Lee Kyu-sung were in charge of the midfield. The defense consisted of Seol Young-woo, Kim Young-kwon, Kim Ki-hee and Kim Tae-hwan, and the goalkeeper was Cho Hyun-woo.


Pohang placed trio Kang Hyun-je, Hong Yoon-sang and Yoon Jae-woon, born in 2002, behind Zeka, and left the midfield to Kim Jong-woo and Han Chan-hee. The four backs were Park Seung-wook, Grant, Ha Chang-rae and Shin Kwang-hoon, and the goalkeeper was Hwang In-jae.


Although the results of the season were virtually decided, the last derby of the year was fierce. In the 8th minute of the first half, Pohang's Kang Hyun-je made the timing of shooting with good ball control between Ulsan's defense and attempted to finish with his right foot, but was caught by Cho Hyun-woo. In the 17th minute, Cho Hyun-woo almost scored an own goal while handling the ball at the gate, and the audience lamented, but he kept the ball before it was too late.


Ulsan took its first threatening opportunity in the 27th minute of the first half. On the right, Eom Won-sang exchanged the balls and developed a great fastball. Jang Si-young, who received Eom Won-sang's pass, made a left-footed shot after breaking through with a shot painting at the gate, but was dramatically blocked by the defense's blocking.


Pohang scored the first goal in the 32nd minute of the first half when Ulsan was trying to boost the flow. Lee Chung-yong, who was ball-keeping, was pressed by Zeka as his feet got stuck on the grass. Yoon Jae-woon's cutback pass, which received Jeka's forward pass, led to Kang Hyun-je's debut goal in the K League. Even after going through VAR, the goal was still recognized.


Kim Young-kwon attempted a header after Ulsan's continued attack on a set piece in the 43rd minute of the first half, but the ball flew out of the net. Kim Tae-hwan's cross in the 45th minute, a corner kick following his defensive success, and Seol Young-woo's left-footed shot after defending the right to attack were all threatening, but Pohang was eventually able to finish the first half with the lead.


At the start of the second half, Pohang put Shim Sang-min in place of Shin Kwang-hoon, and Ulsan added Ataru without Jang Si-young.


However, it took only two minutes for Ulsan to tie the match as the second half began. Seol Young-woo, who rushed toward a shot that bounced off the net, quickly pushed it in, putting the game back to square one before Pohang overhauled it.


Ataru even scored a come-from-behind goal in the fifth minute of the second half. Kim Tae-hwan, who received a long-distance through pass from Lee Chung-yong, dug into the back of the defense and fired a low cross, and Ataru finished neatly with a non-stop shot.


Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong, who lost his lead, took out Zeka and Yoon Jae-woon in the 11th minute of the second half and deployed Lee Ho-jae and Kim In-sung. However, rather, Ulsan was more effective, as it defended with ease and attacked mainly on counterattacks. In the 17th minute, Ataru dug into the left and provided a cross, but Joo Min-kyu's volley missed.


The score gap widened in the 18th minute of the second half as Ulsan's fastball, which began with Pohang's ball control mistake, led to Um Won-sang's cross and Joo Min-kyu's header finish. Joo Min-kyu, who is competing for the top scorer, tied for the most goals by catching up with Thiago with his 16th goal.


In the 26th minute of the second half, Hong Yoon-sang fired a beautifully curled shot with his right foot, and Pohang had a chance to score for the first time in a long time, but Cho Hyun-woo defended well. When the counterattack was not possible, Lee Ho-jae attempted a strong shot from a long distance in the 29th minute, but missed.


In the 32nd minute of the second half, Pohang strengthened its attack by using all the replacement cards by putting Park Hyung-woo and Kim Joon-ho instead of Han Chan-hee and Kang Hyun-je.


After trying to put the ball into the opponent's door, Pohang faced a scoring opportunity as a penalty kick was declared after the ball hit Kim Young-kwon's arm. In the 38th minute of the second half, kicker Lee Ho-jae succeeded in a slow kick that calmly deceived Cho Hyun-woo through booing. The margin was only one goal.


In the 37th minute of the second half, Ulsan's Lee Kyu-sung was replaced by Boyanichi.


Pohang pushed at the last minute. He locked up Ulsan under strong pressure and kept pounding. Kim Joon-ho's mid-range shot was blocked in the 43rd minute of the second half, and Grant's left-footed shot was blocked by Cho Hyun-woo's hand after winning the ball again. In the 45th minute, Cho Hyun-woo hit Grant's powerful mid-range shot again.


Ulsan, which continued to be on the defensive with 10 minutes of additional time declared, chose to strengthen its defense. Kim Min-hyuk and Lee Chung-yong were left out in the third minute of extra time, and defenders Cho Hyun-taek and Jung Seung-hyun were used as cards to protect. He then changed his striker to Martin Adam instead of Joo Min-kyu. Ulsan, which endured until the last minute, eventually won.