‘Thomas debut goal + theatre multi-goal’ Gwangju wins 2-1 over Suwon… 3rd straight win, jump to 6th place

Gwangju FC scored a theatre victory thanks to Thomas’ K League debut goal and a multi-goal performance.

Gwangju came from behind to beat Suwon Samseong 2-1 in the 17th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Gwangju Football Stadium on 7pm. Thomas’ theatre goal in second-half stoppage time proved to be the difference. With the victory, Gwangju, which has won three straight games, moves to sixth place with 24 points (W7 D3 L7), while Suwon, which has lost four straight games, remains at the bottom with eight points (W2 D2 L13).안전놀이터

Gwangju opted for a 4-4-2 formation. Lee Hee-gyun-Hee-yul, Jeong Ji-hoon-Ik Kang-hyun-Jung Ho-yeon-Asani, Lee Min-ki-Timo-Aaron, Doo Hyun-seok, and Lee Jun started.

Suwon started in a 4-3-3 formation. Lee Sang-min, Ahn Byung-joon, Jeon Jin-woo, Yoo Je-ho, Go Seung-beom, Jeong Seung-won, Lee Ki-je, Park Dae-won, Han Ho-gang, Jang Ho-ik, and Yang Hyung-mo took the field first.

In the early stages of the match, the home team Gwangju took the lead. Gwangju threatened Suwon with strong forward pressure. In the 15th minute, Asani aimed for the corner of the goal with a sharp left-footed curler from near the arc, but the ball went just wide of the left post.

Suwon fought back. In the 26th minute, Ahn Byung-joon held on with his back to goal in the box and cut the ball back. Jeon Jin-woo touched it with his right foot and connected with a left-footed shot, but his long touch was blocked by the Gwangju defence.

Suwon, who had been on the back foot, took the lead first. In the 40th minute, Lee Sang-min won the ball near the box and passed it to the feet of Ahn Byung-joon, who dived to his left. Ahn Byung-joon didn’t hesitate and fired a left-footed shot, and the ball took an exquisite trajectory into the corner of the opposite goal.

Gwangju used their substitutions aggressively. Lee Jung-hyo took off Jeong Ji-hoon and Lee Min-ki at the start of the second half and brought on Uhm Ji-sung and Lee Sun-min, while Park Han-bin and Thomas replaced Heo Yul and Lee Kang-hyun in the eighth minute of the second half. Suwon responded shortly after by bringing on Lee Sang-min and Jung Seung-won and dropping Kim Tae-hwan and Acosti.

Uhm Ji Sung went down with an injury. He felt pain in his ankle while competing for a ball with Jung Seung Won and lay down on the pitch. He tried to play on but collapsed again shortly afterwards and had to leave the field. Gwangju used up all five of their substitutions early, bringing on Kim Han-gil for Um Ji-sung in the 11th minute of the second half.

Gwangju levelled the match. In the 23rd minute, Thomas beat the defence with a nice touch near the box before unleashing an exquisite right-footed curling kick into the corner of the net. It was his K League debut goal.

Buoyed by the momentum, Gwangju continued to attack. In the 27th minute, Park Han-bin won a battle with a defender in front of the arc and unleashed a powerful shot, but goalkeeper Yang Hyung-mo leapt to his feet to tip it aside.

In the final minutes of the game, Gwangju turned the tide. In second-half stoppage time, Park Han-bin laid the ball off to the side in the box for Thomas to shoot. His first shot was saved by the goalkeeper, but his second shot was deflected by the defence and split the net.

In the end, the game ended with a dramatic comeback win for Gwangju. Suwon continued their poor form by taking a knee for the first time against Gwangju.