ATARU’S WINNING GOAL, ULSAN DEFEATS POHANG AND WINS 1-0 IN THE OPENING GAME OF K-LEAGUE 1
Ataru’s first goal in K-League 1 this season… Pohang Aspro’s ‘No. 1 exit’
Defending champion’ Ulsan HD defeated ‘difficult enemy’ Pohang Steelers in the opening game and took the first step toward winning their third consecutive K-League 1 title. 파워볼게임
In the opening game of the first round of the professional soccer Hana Bank K League 1 2024 against Pohang held at Munsu Stadium in Ulsan on the 1st, Ulsan saved Ataru’s goal in the 6th minute of the second half and won 1-0.
As a result, Ulsan, who achieved their second consecutive victory in K League 1 last year, defeated ‘last year’s FA Cup champion’ Pohang in the opening match and announced the beginning of their challenge to lift the trophy for the third consecutive year.
Ulsan smiled brightly in the opening game of this season’s K League 1, which attracted attention as a match between last year’s K League 1 champion and the FA Cup champion.
Ulsan used the 4-2-3-1 tactic with ‘last year’s top scorer’ Joo Min-gyu as the lone top striker, while Pohang used the 4-4-2 tactic with foreign strikers Giorgi and Heo Yong-jun as the ‘two top strikers’.
For the opening match, 28,683 ‘cloud spectators’ flocked to Munsu Stadium.
This is the largest attendance ever for Ulsan’s opening home game since 2018, when paid attendance statistics began.
Ulsan increased the intensity of its attack from the beginning of the game, but had difficulty breaking through Pohang’s defensive wall, which was counterattacked after the player’s defense.
In particular, Pohang Steelers changed to a 5-4-1 tactic in a defensive situation and blocked Ulsan’s attack with a ‘two-line defensive wall’.
In the 29th minute of the first half, Ulsan replaced right wing Jang Si-young, a U-22 resource, with Eom Won-sang to strengthen mobility.
Ulsan took the opportunity to score the first goal.
In the 32nd minute of the first half, in a mixed situation at goal following Ulsan’s free kick, Eom Won-sang’s cross from the right side of the penalty area was redirected by Kim Min-woo in front of the goal area, shaking the goal.
However, the assistant referee immediately raised the offside flag.
Kim Min-woo was in an offside position when Eom Won-sang’s pass was delivered.
After taking a breather, Pohang immediately launched a counterattack, and in the 33rd minute of the first half, Giorgi caught a pass from behind and put the ball into Ulsan’s net with a powerful left-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area.
However, Giorgi was also in an offside position the moment he received the pass, and the goal was canceled with the assistant referee’s offside flag.
Ulsan, who finished the first half scoreless, finally scored the first goal in the 6th minute of the second half, and the protagonist was Japanese attacking midfielder Ataru.
Ataru, who received the ball on the left side of the penalty area, connected a strong cross towards Joo Min-gyu, who was rushing towards the goal.
However, the ball did not hit Joo Min-gyu’s foot, and the ball, which bounced in front of the goal, was sucked into the Pohang goal.
It was the moment when the first goal of this season’s K League 1 was born.
Ataru’s score ended up being the winning goal.
Ulsan was in danger of conceding a decisive goal in the 19th minute of the second half, but ‘Spider Hand’ Cho Hyun-woo’s super save shined.
Pohang’s Hong Yun-sang’s powerful shot from near the left side of the penalty arc was blocked by Cho Hyun-woo’s fingertips as he flew forward.
Pohang, desperate for an equalizer, tried to block Ulsan’s Eom Won-sang from a counterattack in the 44th minute of the second half, but attempted a back tackle, and the referee took out a ‘red card’, saying that they had blocked a perfect goal opportunity.
Aspro, who joined Pohang this year, suffered the disgrace of being the ‘No. 1 player to be sent off’ in K League 1 this season.
Ulsan, who continued their last-minute offensive with a numerical superiority, was unable to score an additional goal, but ended up winning the home game comfortably.
