Ulsan HD FC capture 3rd straight K League 1 title

Ulsan HD FC are the champions of South Korean football for the third straight year.

Ulsan defeated Gangwon FC 2-1 on Friday at Ulsan Stadium in Ulsan, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to secure their “three-peat” in the K League 1. The victory gave Ulsan 68 points, seven clear of second-place Gangwon with two matches left this season, meaning Gangwon cannot catch Ulsan even if they win out and Ulsan lose both of their remaining matches.

Ulsan became only the third K League club to win at least three consecutive titles, joining Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (1993 to 1995, and from 2001 to 2003) and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (from 2017 to 2021).

Gustav Ludwigson scored in the 35th minute for Ulsan and Joo Min-kyu had the other goal for the champions in the 53rd minute in rainy conditions.

Ulsan improved to 20 wins, eight draws and eight losses for the season. They have scored the second-most goals with 57 and have conceded the fewest goals with 37. They have eight wins, two draws and one loss under head coach Kim Pan-gon, who took over from Hong Myung-bo in July after Hong left for the men’s national team job.

Ulsan seized control from the early moments and nearly scored less than five minutes in when Joo Min-kyu’s close-range header was stopped by goalkeeper Lee Gwang-yeon.

Lee came up huge once again to keep the match scoreless in the 27th minute, as he denied Ludwigson on a volley set up by Lee Chung-yong’s cross.

But Ludwigson finally solved the Gangwon keeper in the 35th minute. After a throw-in, Ko Seung-beom found Ludwigson with a cross from the right, and the Swedish winger scored off his right foot for the 1-0 Ulsan lead.

The goal was confirmed after a lengthy video review to determine that the ball hadn’t bounced off Ludwigson’s arm before the shot. Replays showed that the ball touched Ludwigson’s chest, not his arm.

Gangwon responded six minutes later, when Lee Sang-heon scored on a floating shot from just inside the box that went in off the right goal post.

Gangwon dominated the possession battle in the final 20 minutes of the match but failed to convert that advantage into a goal.

Although Ulsan clinched their title, the championship trophy did not travel to their home city Friday night.

Ulsan officials said the team will be presented with the trophy following the conclusion of their final home match of the season — and also their final match of the year, period — on Nov. 23 against Suwon FC.

With the domestic league title secured, Ulsan will now turn their focus to earning their first win at the ongoing Asian Football Confederation Champions League Elite tournament.

In the revamped continental competition, Ulsan have lost their first three matches to sit in last place among the dozen clubs in the East Region. The group features clubs from South Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia and Australia.

Ulsan will next face Johor Darul Ta’zim in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Tuesday.