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Ulsan will look to continue their unbeaten run against Daegu.
The Ulsan Hyundai will face Daegu FC in the 25th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at DGB Daegu Bank Park at 7:30 p.m. on May 5. Ulsan currently leads the league with 18 wins, two draws and four losses (56 points),안전놀이터 while Daegu is in seventh place with eight wins, nine draws and seven losses (33 points).
Ulsan got over the hump in the middle of the summer heat. Ulsan lost 1-2 to Incheon in Round 22 and then suffered a bitter 1-3 defeat at Suwon Samsung in Round 23 due to the absence of Kim Young-kwon and Park Yong-woo and a lack of offensive balance.
It was the first back-to-back losses of the season. Ulsan was considered to be a team that was not prone to losing streaks since the arrival of Hong Myung-bo, but there was a brief crisis when they were stumbled by the teams at the bottom of the table. However, they quickly bounced back with a 2-1 win at Jeju in Round 24, thanks to a brilliant performance from Lee Dong-kyung, who returned from the European stage.
There was also good news. Ulsan re-signed coach Hong Myung-bo, who broke the ‘runner-up’s spell’ after winning the title last season, and laid out a long-term plan. Under Hong, Ulsan’s ‘winning DNA’ has been revitalized and the team is playing fiery attacking soccer. The team has opened up a huge 11-point gap on second-place Pohang (45 points) and has scored 49 goals in 24 games.
The two players responsible for Ulsan’s firepower are Bako and In-Jin Gyu.
Bako, in particular, hasn’t slowed down since the 2021 season. The left winger excels in ball control, dribbling, and breaking down defenses with his excellent pressing ability. His tactical skills also make him one of the best technicians in the K League. Bako became the first foreign player to score double-digit goals in the K League when he scored a multi-goal performance in a 3-1 win over Daegu in Round 19. With his performance, he tied for the league lead in scoring with teammate Lee Min-kyu with 11 points and one assist in 23 games.
Against Daegu, the team will be looking for more of the same. He has scored five goals in five matches against Daegu in the last two seasons, including three in two matches this season, earning him the nickname ‘Daegu Killer’. That’s why we’ll be keeping an eye on his toes against Daegu.
As hot as the weather is in August, Ulsan’s performance should be even hotter. Of Ulsan’s four league games in August, three are away from home, except for the Hyundai derby against Jeonbuk on the 19th. Ulsan needs to start the second half of the season well in Daegu to look forward to the next.