Pohang Steelers beat Seoul 2:1 in the K-League 1 at Sangmu Civic Stadium on Sunday. The hosts took an early lead through Kento Nishiya and added a second via Hwang Seo-woong before Patryk Klimala pulled one back from the penalty spot. It was a result that kept Pohang in fourth place and left Seoul top, though the gap between them remains significant.
And here's the thing about the first half — Pohang controlled the tempo without needing much of the ball. Nishiya's goal came in the third minute, and Hwang Seo-woong doubled the advantage shortly before the break. Seoul's only response was a yellow card for Yazan Al-Arab in the forty-fifth minute. By then, the visitors had 68 per cent of possession but had created nothing of note.
Seoul's response after the interval was more threatening. Klimala converted a penalty in the fifty-first minute to give the leaders hope. They pushed forward, but Pohang's defence held firm. Ki Sung-Yueng picked up a booking in the sixty-third minute, and both sides began making changes. Shin Kwang-Hoon came on for Seoul, while Pohang brought on Son Jeong-Beom and Won Ki-jong on the hour.
The statistics tell a familiar story — Seoul dominated possession and attacks, but Pohang were more dangerous in the final third. The hosts registered four shots on target and scored twice, while Seoul managed three shots on target and found the net once. Pohang also had three blocked shots and three corners to Seoul's six blocked shots and four corners. To be fair, the visitors had more possession and more attacks, but the line has barely moved in terms of actual chances created.
Pohang sit fourth with 28 points after nineteen games, while Seoul lead with 42 points. The result does not shift the standings materially, but it ends Seoul's recent run of mixed results. They had lost to Persebaya Bandung and lost to Ulsan Hyundai before beating Jeonbuk Motors and Inchon United. Pohang's form has been inconsistent — they lost to Beijing Guoan and lost to Jeonbuk, but drew against Gimcheon and Gangwon.
