Ulsan HD players take top spot in K League 1 after thrilling draw with Incheon United

K League 1 side Ulsan Hyundai FC snatched the front-runner spot on the table after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Incheon United at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on Sunday. The match was a goal fest, with both teams trading blows from the get-go. The first half ended 1-1, with Ulsan’s Martin Adam and Incheon’s Stefan Mugosa finding the back of the net.

In the second half, Park Seung-ho put Incheon in the lead in the 48th minute, but Ulsan quickly equalized with Lee Dong-gyeong’s goal in the 53rd minute. Adam scored his second of the game in the 62nd minute to put Ulsan in the lead, only for Stefan to equalize once again in the 74th minute, securing a 3-3 draw for Incheon.

The draw allowed Ulsan to overtake Gwangju FC at the top of the league standings, as Gwangju suffered a 1-0 defeat to Pohang Steelers on the same day. Jeonbuk also struggled, losing 1-0 to newly-promoted Gimcheon Sangmu.

FC Seoul managed to secure their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Jeju United, but manager Kim Gi-dong was critical of new signing Jesse Lingard’s performance. Lingard, who joined FC Seoul on a two-year deal last month, has yet to make a significant impact on the pitch.

Elsewhere, Daejeon Hana Citizen and Gangwon FC played out a 1-1 draw, while Suwon FC and Daegu FC also shared the points in a 1-1 stalemate. The K League will now pause for the FIFA international break, during which some players will join the national team for World Cup qualifiers against Thailand.

The first qualifier will take place on Thursday at Seoul World Cup Stadium, with the return leg scheduled for March 26. The action in the K League is set to resume after the international break, with teams aiming to build on their performances in the early stages of the season.