"How long we have waited for this victory" Gwangju fans finally shed tears... Ulsan defeated 4-3 after 218 days and 29 matches

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

They had waited 218 days. There had been no league victory for a staggering 28 matches. When the long wait finally ended, some Gwangju fans in the stands were seen crying.

On the 11th, GwangjuFC defeated Ulsan HD 4-3 in a home match during Round 31 of the 2026 K League 1 at Gwangju World Cup Stadium, winning after an intense back-and-forth battle.

With this, Gwangju secured a league victory after a whopping 218 days and 29 matches. For the Gwangju players and fans who had waited so long for a win, it was a precious three points more than ever before. With this victory, 12th-place Gwangju now stands with 2 wins, 12 draws, and 17 losses (18 points).

An emotional scene unfolded after the match ended. As Gwangju's victory was confirmed, a fan in the stands was captured shedding tears. It was a moment that showed just how desperately the fans who had supported the team through the long winless streak had wanted this win.

The path to victory was not easy.

Ulsan struck first. In the 25th minute of the first half, Yago hit Gwangju's net, but an offside call was made and the goal was disallowed.

However, Yago did not miss his second chance. In the 32nd minute of the first half, assisted by Boyanich, he scored the opening goal to give Ulsan a 1-0 lead.

Gwangju's counterattack was fierce. Just four minutes later, in the 36th minute of the first half, Ba Rua connected Ha Seung-won's pass with a direct shot to level the score at 1-1.

Riding the momentum, Gwangju turned the game around instantly to lead 2-1 when Aideil scored with a diving header in the 39th minute of the first half.

Ulsan did not back down easily either. In the 43rd minute of the first half, Kim Young-gwon hit the net with a precise header from a corner kick to level the score at 2-2.

The two teams exchanged four goals in the first half alone, engaging in a fierce shootout.

Right after the start of the second half, Ulsan made a change by substituting Choi Seok-hyun out for Troyak. However, Gwangju was the side to regain the lead.

In the 21st minute of the second half, Shin Chang-moo stepped up as the savior. He broke through the opposing defense, penetrated into the penalty box, and calmly scored past Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo. Gwangju took a 3-2 lead again.

Ulsan continued to pound on Gwangju's goal. In the 28th minute of the second half, Yago hit the net once more, but an offside call was made again, and the goal was not counted.

Having weathered the crisis, Gwangju immediately pulled away. In the 32nd minute of the second half, Lee Min-ki delivered a precise cross from the left flank, and Ba Rua headed it in to hit the net. It was his second goal of the day. The score widened to 4-2.

Still, they could not be at ease until the very end. In the sixth minute of stoppage time in the second half, Yago scored a consolation goal to narrow the gap to 4-3. Despite having two goals disallowed for offside that day, Yago ultimately recorded a brace, keeping pressure on Gwangju until the final whistle.

But there was not much time left. Gwangju withstood Ulsan's final offensive push, and finally the full-time whistle blew. The score was 4-3.

In that moment, Gwangju World Cup Stadium was engulfed in roaring cheers. And in one corner of the stands, fans were seen shedding tears of emotion.

It was a victory that came after a long, long wait. It carried meaning beyond just a single win. For the Gwangju fans who had supported the team for so long without a victory, a moment to finally smile had arrived.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original