[Sports Seoul | Reporter Kim Yong-il] Daejeon Hana Citizen rode a wave of momentum back into the win column after scoring freely in consecutive matches.
Under manager Hwang Sun-hong, Daejeon routed Gwangju FC 5-0 at Gwangju World Cup Stadium on May 2 in the 11th round of the 2026 Hana Bank K League 1, with Jeong Jae-hee netting a brace.
Fresh off a 4-1 demolition of Ulsan HD in the previous round, Daejeon posted their second straight high-scoring victory. The club sits fifth with a 4-3-4 record (15 points). They are level on points with Pohang Steelers (15) but edge them on goal difference and are just one point behind fourth-place Gangwon FC (16).
Gwangju, meanwhile, fell to their seventh straight defeat and remain without a win in nine matches (2 draws, 7 losses). It was their second consecutive match—and fourth this season—in which they conceded five goals. They remain in last place (12th) with six points (1-3-7).
Daejeon punished a shaky Gwangju back line early: six minutes in, Diogo headed Rubickson’s cross home for the opener. In the 31st minute, following a free kick that ricocheted back into the box, Jeong calmly slotted a right-footed finish to make it 2-0.
The onslaught continued after halftime. Six minutes into the second half, Kim Jun-beom pounced on a misplaced pass and curled a right-footed strike into the net from the edge of the box. Two minutes later, Jeong capitalized on a goalkeeper’s poor pass, raced forward and drilled a long-range right-footed shot to complete his brace.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, homegrown forward Joo Min-kyu—who had been quiet—connected with Seo Jin-soo’s right-wing cross to get off the mark for the season.
At Anyang Sports Complex, visiting Bucheon FC 1995 held on after Gabriel’s strike 25 minutes into the second half to beat FC Anyang 1-0.
Bucheon climbed to 10th with a 3-4-4 record (13 points). Anyang sit seventh with 14 points (3-5-3).
Jeonbuk Hyundai claimed a 2-0 win at Jeju SK, with Kim Jin-gyu and Tiago scoring back-to-back goals to secure a second straight victory.
Jeonbuk moved up to second with a 5-3-3 record (18 points), leapfrogging Ulsan—who lost 0-1 to Pohang and slipped to third with 17 points.
Jeju remain 11th with 12 points (3-3-5).
Gangwon FC dominated early at Incheon United and sealed a 1-0 victory when Kim Dae-won unleashed a spectacular right-footed long-range strike in the 44th minute.
Gangwon sit fourth with a 4-4-3 record (16 points). Incheon are eighth with 14 points (4-2-5).
kyi0486@sportsseoul.com
