football-clubs

▲ Kim Bo-kyung of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (C) is guarded by Kim Kee-hee of Ulsan Hyundai FC (R) during their clubs' K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Han Kyo-won of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (L) tries to dribble past Won Du-jae of Ulsan Hyundai FC during their clubs' K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Yoon Bitgaram of Ulsan Hyundai FC (L) and Ryu Jae-moon of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors battle for the ball during their clubs' K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Kim Bo-kyung (L) and Ryu Jae-moon (R) of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors guard Yoon Bitgaram of Ulsan Hyundai FC (C) during their clubs' K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Yonhap)

football-clubs

Top 2 clubs in K League end up in scoreless draw

ULSAN, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The two best teams in South Korean football had a scoreless draw on Friday, after a highly-entertaining match that had everything but goals.

Ulsan Hyundai FC, leaders of the K League 1, and the second-ranked Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors couldn't find the back of the net at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, 415 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Ulsan still have a four-point lead over Jeonbuk, 55-51, after 28 matches.

This was their final meeting of the first phase of the season. After 33 matches, the top six clubs will be paired into Final A and the bottom six will end up in Final B in the split phase. Teams will then finish out the season by playing five more matches within their group.

With Ulsan and Jeonbuk both safely in the top-six picture, they will square off again later in the year in Final A, most likely with a title at stake.

Ulsan are riding an eight-match undefeated streak with five wins and three draws.

Playing before a season-high 5,559 fans at home, Ulsan put 12 shots on target, compared to just two by Jeonbuk.

Jeonbuk dodged some early bullets, with goalkeeper Song Bum-keun punching out a Lee Chung-yong shot just two minutes into the contest. Some four minutes later, Ulsan striker Oh Se-hun nearly poked home a loose ball after Song mishandled a pass, and the goalkeeper atoned for his miscue with a diving stop.

Ulsan's best opportunity came in the 87th minute, when Lee Dong-jun nearly headed one home after Song was caught out of position. And just as the ball was bouncing into the empty net, Jeonbuk center back Hong Jeong-ho kicked it out of harm's way at the last possible moment.

Jeonbuk have won the past four K League 1 titles, the last two of which came at the expense of Ulsan. They're going for an unprecedented fifth straight title. Ulsan hold the league record for most runner-up finishes with nine, and their last championship came in 2005.

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