Local Strikers Roaring in Korean Football League

Lee Dong-gook has rediscovered his scoring touch to lead the league with eight goals. / Korea Times File

By Kang Seung-woo

Staff Reporter

Local strikers are dominating the K-League goal list this season, with Koreans occupying eight of the top 10 spots through the 12th round of the regular season.

It's a notable increase from last year, when only five domestic players ranked in the top 10.

Former South Korean international Lee Dong-gook has a league-leading eight goals in 10 games this season. The former Middlesbrough forward has regained his form this year, with three multi-goal games, including a hat trick.

Gwangju Sangmu forward Kim Meung-jung has shown off his scoring touch with seven goals in 12 appearances.

Kim headed home a winner on a Choi Sung-kuk cross in Sunday's game against the Ulsan Tigers to maintain the military team's position atop the league table.

The former Pohang Steeler, 24, is level with Dragons' Brazilian striker Adriano Neves Pereira with seven goals, but Pereira has needed just 11 appearances.

Alongside Lee and Kim, Choi, Jeong Shung-hoon of Busan I'Park, Yoo Byung-soo of Incheon United and Cho Dong-gun of Seongnam Chunma each have five goals.

In addition, Lee Chun-soo, who was handed a six-game suspension for making an insulting gesture at a lineman, has managed four goals in just seven games.

The Korean players have dominated this year as many imports have suffered either from slumps or injuries.

Suwon BlueWings Brazilian forward Eduardo Goncalves de Oliveira, also known as Edu, had 13 goals in 2008 but has managed just two goals due to a thigh injury, while Radoncic Dzenan, who had 13 with Incheon last year, has found the target just once since moving to Seongnam.

Steelers duo Denilson Martins Nascimento and Pnctnk Ristik Tebnlia Stevica, who combined for 12 strikes last season, have been limited to three and one, respectively.

Last season's leading scorer Eduardo Francisco de Silva Neto, known as Dudu, of Brazil was released by Seongnam.

Also, due to financial woes, some teams are turning to local players instead of recruiting costly imports.