Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Gwangju: AFC Champions League 2016 quarter-finalists Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors set a K League record for the longest unbeaten run on Sunday when their 1-1 draw with Gwangju FC saw them go 16 matches without defeat.
The reigning Korea Republic League champions equaled the record held by Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in 2007 when they played out a goalless stalemate with Incheon United in last Saturday’s Round 15 clash before their eighth draw of the campaign saw Choi Kang-hee’s side pass the milestone first set by the 2010 AFC Champions League winners.
Lee Dong-gook, top scorer and MVP as Jeonbuk finished runners-up in the 2011 AFC Champions League, broke the deadlock at the Guus Hiddink Stadium in the 20th minute, giving the Motors a lead they held until five minutes from time when former FC Seoul forward Jung Jo-gook equalised with his tenth goal since joining Gwangju back in January.
The draw saw Jeonbuk put a little bit more distance between themselves and second placed FC Seoul, who they now lead by two points after their fellow 2016 AFC Champions League quarter-finalists slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Pohang Steelers.
Yang Dong-hyen put the Steelers one up after just four minutes before Shim Dong-woon doubled the 2009 ACL champions’ advantage on the half-hour mark.
AFC Champions League 2016 leading scorer Adriano, who made a blistering start to his maiden continental campaign when he scored four of his 11 goals on his ACL debut against Buriram United, reduced the deficit one minute into the second half.
But the Brazilian striker’s tenth goal of the 2016 K League Classic completed the scoring at the Steelyard as Seoul sunk to their fourth defeat of the current season to remain second in the standings with 30 points from 16 games.
Jeonbuk and FC Seoul both face Chinese opposition in the quarter-finals of the 2016 AFC Champions League, with 2006 winners Jeonbuk facing Shanghai SIPG and FC Seoul, who have replaced the out-going Choi with former Pohang Steelers coach Hwang Sun-hong, taking on Shandong Luneng, who they defeated 4-1 in Jinan in the Group Stage.