K League 1 Preview: Ulsan HD Boast Strongest Home Defense, Pohang Steelers Top Travellers

On August 31 at 18:00, the 29th round of the K League 1, Ulsan HD will host Pohang Steelers at the Ulsan Munsu Stadium.

The season is entering its final stages. Ulsan HD trails the top of the table by two points, sitting in second place. Pohang Steelers are just three points away from third place (the top three in the K League 1 qualify for the AFC Champions League), and both teams face significant pressure to secure points.

In terms of characteristics, Ulsan HD is known for their “robust home defense.” In this season’s 14 home league matches, Ulsan HD has only conceded 12 goals, the fewest among home teams (conceding an average of 0.86 goals per game). Additionally, Ulsan HD has earned 30 points in their 14 home games, tied with Gangwon FC for the most in the league.

Pohang Steelers, on the other hand, are the league’s top “road warriors,” having accumulated 23 points in their 14 away matches, with a win rate of 50%, averaging 1.79 goals per game, all of which rank first (or jointly first) in the league.

In terms of form, Ulsan HD have remained unbeaten in their last three games (2 wins, 1 draw), advancing to the Korean FA Cup final. Pohang Steelers ended a five-game winless streak in their previous match by defeating Jeju United in the semi-final of the Korean FA Cup, also securing a spot in the final. This round can be seen as a prelude to the Korean FA Cup final.

Regarding head-to-head results, in the last 10 meetings between the two sides, Ulsan HD has a slight edge with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses. If we focus specifically on matches at Munsu Stadium, Ulsan HD has won both of their last two home games against Pohang Steelers.

In terms of squad availability, Ulsan HD will be without two players, with forward Cho Min-gyu suspended due to a red card (he has scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists in the K League 1 this season, making him the team’s top scorer in the league), plus forward Kim Ji-hyeon who has been out for four months (only two appearances in the league this season with one goal). Pohang Steelers will miss defender Shin Kwang-hoon, who is suspended after receiving a red card (a regular player who made 23 appearances this season). Furthermore, before the match, the club officially announced that key defender Lee Dong-hee had fractured his right clavicle, while top scorer Lee Ho-jun suffered a left ankle ligament injury, both ruling them out for the rest of the season.

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