Only two teams have won three consecutive K-League titles, the “beginning of the dynasty,” since its establishment in 1983. Seongnam FC, when it was a corporate club named Ilhwa, lifted the trophy for three consecutive years from 1993 to 1995, and 2001 to 2003. Jeonbuk Hyundai then won the K-League 1 title for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021.
While Jeonbuk was dominating the K-League, Ulsan HD was branded as the “second place in a lifetime.” That sadness no longer exists. Ulsan has only one goal left until its third straight loss. Ulsan will play the third round of the Hana Bank K-League 1 2024 final match against Gangwon FC at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 at Ulsan Stadium. The gap between the top-ranked Ulsan FC (65 points) and the second-ranked Gangwon FC (61 points) is four points. If Ulsan wins, the gap will widen to seven points, and the team will clinch the title for the third consecutive year regardless of the results of the remaining two matches. If the team loses, the competition between the two teams could continue until the end. Gangwon is challenged to win its first K-League 1 title in the history of provincial and provincial teams.
At the center of Ulsan’s bid for a third consecutive win is its national team member Joo Min-kyu (34). He finally broke his silence in the East Coast Derby against the Pohang Steelers in the last round. He scored a goal for the first time in 106 days since the match against FC Seoul (1-0) on July 13. Joo won the K-League 1 title in 2021 and 2023. His goal against Pohang was his ninth in the K-League 1 this season. It is not easy to become the third top scorer. He is six goals shorter than Mugosa (15 goals from Incheon), the leading scorer. Still, he can make double-digit goals for four consecutive seasons.
After the match against Pohang, Joo revealed his struggles. “I felt sorry for my teammates who devoted themselves and defended. If I had taken advantage of my chances, I would have earned more points in several matches,” he said. “I still have a long way to go. Still, I think I have more leeway as I prepare for the next match.”
After talking about his family, his eyes were teary. “My family noticed me a lot, saying, ‘It will explode someday,'” said Joo Min-kyu. One of the words that touched me was that soccer that I love and like comes first rather than scoring a goal. That’s why I wanted to enjoy soccer. I feel sorry that my wife and parents couldn’t tell me while holding their breath. I will make sure my family can watch the game comfortably,” he said. “I felt very sorry for my wife. I had morning sickness, and I had a hard time in my body, but she made me look at my face,” Joo said. “I was so grateful for her thought of me even though I was not physically fit. I think I need to do better.” 메이저사이트
Joo Min-gyu is dreaming of winning the title through his scoring ability. “There were a lot of disappointing moments this year, but if I score a goal and win the championship, I have expectations that such difficult moments will disappear. It was the first goal since the coach came. I felt sorry. I will give joy to the coach, my teammates, and the fans by scoring goals that will bring three points in the remaining games. I am going to score as many goals as possible like a volcano.”