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| Ulsan Hyundai players react after scoring their first goal against Pohang Steelers at Steel Yard in Pohang during the K League 1 match, Tuesday. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
Ulsan Hyundai FC hasn't been this close to winning its first title since 2005. Had Lee Ho-jae not headed a goal for Pohang Steelers on Tuesday with 10 minutes of the game remaining, Ulsan would now be champions of the K League. Unfortunately for Ulsan, Lee made it 1-1 and there, the score line remained when a win would have been enough for the Tigers.
If the team can't lift the trophy in front of its own fans, Pohang's Steel Yard would have been the next best option. Not only are the two east coast teams rivals, but back in 2013, Pohang denied Ulsan on the final day of the season. It was the last day of the season on Dec. 1 when the top two teams met.
Ulsan just needed to avoid defeat to become champion, and going into injury time, it was goalless. Injured and unused players who had been sitting on the sidelines watching the action, had left their seats to go and join the celebrations. By the time they arrived, Pohang had scored and won the title. It was a painful day.
After that, as has been documented in this column on more than one occasion, Ulsan has lost out to Jeonbuk Motors in the last three seasons, usually in heartbreaking fashion. And this season, these two teams were in the running again.
There has been plenty of pain.
Last weekend, Jeonbuk and Ulsan met again in game 34 of the 38 in the season, and this time it was Ulsan's turn to break hearts. Jeonbuk, in second, had been leading since the first half but Hong Myong-bo's men scored twice very deep into added time to pick up a famous and unforgettable win.
"This was the most exciting match that I've ever coached," Hong said. Quite a statement, given he took South Korea to bronze at the 2012 Olympics and also was head coach at the 2014 World Cup. "I think everyone here wanted that go-ahead goal. I'd like to thank our supporters for not giving up on us."
It meant that Ulsan would have won the title with a win against Pohang but it was not to be.
"It would have been great to secure the title with a victory here. But this was an away match against a tough opponent," Hong said. "Even though we picked up only one point, I think this is a huge point for us. We'll have to regroup quickly to get ready for the next game."
With Jeonbuk winning later on Tuesday, the champagne will stay on ice. Ulsan is six points clear with two games remaining and will have to lose both. Jeonbuk will have to win both. Given what has happened in recent years, nobody in Ulsan will be taking anything for granted but it would take a monumental collapse for the Tigers to miss out.
Ulsan travels to Gangwon on Sunday and then hosts Jeju United on the final day of the season a week later. Surely, the 17-year wait will come to an end in one of these games.
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