'Lee Seung-mo's winning goal' Kim Ki-dong's Seoul defeats Daejeon 2-1, secures two consecutive wins... enters World Cup break in first place [Daejeon On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

K League 1's FC Seoul defeated Daejeon Hana Citizen to finish the pre-World Cup break schedule in first place.

Seoul, led by manager Kim Ki-dong, defeated Daejeon 2-1 in an away match of the 15th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 held at Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on the 16th.

Seoul, which had broken its three-game winless streak (one draw, two losses) with a victory against Gwangju FC, succeeded in securing two consecutive wins with today's victory over Daejeon, finishing the pre-2026 FIFA World Cup break schedule in first place with 32 points (10 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses).

The gap with second-place Ulsan HD, which has not yet played its final pre-break match, has widened to six points (26 points, 8 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses).

In contrast, Daejeon has fallen into a three-game losing streak, remaining in ninth place in the league with 16 points (4 wins, 4 draws, 7 losses). Their home opening winless streak has extended to eight games (3 draws, 5 losses), further damaging their pride.

With the K League 1 entering a seven-week World Cup break starting from the 18th, Daejeon will resume the second half of the schedule with an away match against Bucheon FC on July 4, while Seoul will begin their second-half schedule with an away match against Incheon United on the 5th.

Seoul deployed a 4-4-2 formation with Huize and Anderson up front, Song Min-gyu, Baeve, Son Jung-beom, and Moon Sun-min in midfield. Kim Jin-soo, Ross, Yazan, and Choi Jun took their positions in the defensive line, while Gu Seong-yun guarded the goal.

Daejeon countered with a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring Yu Kang-hyun leading the line, with Rubiksson, Seo Jin-soo, and Joao Victor in the second line. Lee Hyun-sik and Kim Bong-soo coordinated in midfield, while Park Kyu-hyun, Anton, Cho Sung-kwon, and Kim Moon-hwan formed the defensive line. Goalkeeper Lee Chang-keun wore the gloves.

Shots were exchanged from the start of the match. In the 6th minute of the first half, Huize's shot narrowly missed the goalpost, and two minutes later, Lee Hyun-sik's mid-range shot following a free-kick scramble was saved by Gu Seong-yun.

The tight balance was broken in the 23rd minute of the first half. Huize penetrated the space behind Daejeon's defense, moved to the flank, and Anderson finished off a low cross delivered into the box.

After conceding, Daejeon had a chance in the 36th minute of the first half when Joao Victor penetrated the left flank, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Seoul also advanced past the goalkeeper, and Son Jung-beom connected to Moon Sun-min's pass for a shot, but it was blocked by a defender, followed by an offside call.

Daejeon, trailing 0-1 at halftime, made a change by substituting Bobshin for Rubiksson at the start of the second half. Seoul also made an offensive change in the 10th minute of the second half by bringing on Jeong Seung-won for Moon Sun-min. Afterward, both teams struggled to create decisive chances. Although they engaged in back-and-forth play, no decisive shots materialized. Daejeon sought a momentum shift by bringing on Jung Jae-hee, while Seoul introduced Lee Seung-mo.

Manager Hwang Sun-hong's tactical substitution proved effective. Seo Jin-soo in midfield delivered a through pass toward the goal, and Jung Jae-hee, who penetrated the space behind the defense, did not miss the one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper, finishing with his left foot. Jung Jae-hee reaped the reward just two minutes after coming on.

Daejeon's momentum surged after scoring the equalizer. Jung Jae-hee and Kim Moon-hwan shook the right flank, targeting Seoul's gaps. Manager Hwang Sun-hong threw his tactical card in the 28th minute of the second half by simultaneously bringing on Ju Min-gyu and Kim Min-deok. Daejeon's offensive pressure intensified. Park Kyu-hyun's powerful volley following a corner kick was saved by the goalkeeper, and Anton's shot on the loose ball missed the goalpost.

However, Daejeon struggled to shake the net despite their offensive pressure. Cross accuracy was consistently lacking, and even Ju Min-gyu's volley missed the target. Seoul also sought an additional goal through a counterattack in the 36th minute of the second half. However, Son Jung-beom's shot that hit the net was ruled offside, leaving them with regret.

Neither team could settle for a draw. The intense back-and-forth battle to break the tight balance continued fiercely until the final moments of the match. The team that reaped the reward was Seoul. This time, manager Kim Ki-dong's tactical substitution succeeded. Lee Seung-mo connected to Jeong Seung-won's corner kick with a header, opening Daejeon's goal. Daejeon, pushed into a corner, launched an all-out attack for the remaining time. However, the second equalizing goal of the day never materialized.

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*This content was translated by AI.