K League 1 Gameweek 23

Gwangju FC 1 - 2 FT Pohang Steelers

Gwangju Football Stadium

Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching

Futmetrix Verdict
55
FT
Sat, Aug 15
한국어
Gwangju FC
1-2
Pohang Steelers
⚡ Intensity 57
⚖️ Balance 56
🏆 Stakes 0
🎲 Upset 0
Wanderson's late strike breaks Gwangju hearts.

Pohang Steal the Points as Wanderson Strikes Late

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 55/100. A dramatic 97th-minute winner condemned rock-bottom Gwangju FC to another brutal defeat, as Pohang Steelers executed a classic smash-and-grab despite facing overwhelming statistical pressure.

The Opening Act

Gwangju Football Stadium hosted a clash with massive Stakes for the hosts, desperate to spark a late-season revival and escape the relegation zone. Under immense pressure, the home side controlled possession early on, completely pinning Pohang Steelers back with relentless offensive play. Gwangju racked up nine corners in total, constantly threatening from dead-ball situations. However, the visitors struck first completely against the run of play, executing a flawless transition. In the 38th minute, J. Tranziska found the back of the net after a clever through ball from Park Chan-Yong, exploiting a momentarily disjointed defensive line. The Balance of play heavily favoured the hosts in terms of pure attacking volume, yet they went into the break trailing.

The Pivot

The second half saw the Intensity rise dramatically as Gwangju FC threw absolutely everything forward in search of a lifeline. They peppered the visitors' goal with nine shots on target, turning the penalty area into a relentless siege. This offensive barrage forced extraordinary goalkeeper heroics from the Pohang shot-stopper, who was called into action repeatedly, tallying eight crucial saves to preserve his side's fragile lead. Just as it seemed the visitors would weather the vicious storm, the hosts finally found their desperately sought breakthrough. In the 84th minute, J. Iredale managed to beat the keeper, finishing off a sharp pass from Kim Woo-jin to level the score at 1-1 and send the home supporters into raptures.

Resolution

But football can be a remarkably cruel sport, and the final moments delivered a crushing blow to the home faithful. Deep into stoppage time, with a high Upset Factor looming and Gwangju committing bodies forward for a potential winner, Pohang mounted one last decisive counter-attack. In the 97th minute, Wanderson connected perfectly with Won Ki-Jong's assist to bury the late winner, completely shattering Gwangju's hard-earned momentum. The 2-1 away victory successfully snapped Pohang's miserable five-match losing streak, offering them a vital boost. Conversely, the hosts remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, now a daunting 20 points adrift of safety. This evenly-matched thriller highlighted the harsh reality of the top flight: clinical finishing always trumps sheer possession.

Key Questions

How dramatic was the late winner by Wanderson?

Extremely dramatic. Wanderson struck deep into stoppage time in the 97th minute to break a 1-1 deadlock, snatching all three points against the run of play.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
57%
43%
Gwangju FC 57%
Pohang Steelers 43%
Shots on Target
9
2
Gwangju FC 9
Pohang Steelers 2
Corners
9
1
Gwangju FC 9
Pohang Steelers 1
Fouls
13
3
Gwangju FC 13
Pohang Steelers 3
Yellow Cards
2
0
Gwangju FC 2
Pohang Steelers 0
Red Cards
0
0
Gwangju FC 0
Pohang Steelers 0

Match Events

J. Tranziska (Park Chan-Yong) 38'
HT
Hwang Seo-Woong Kang Min-Jun 🔄 46'
53' 🟨 Ri Yong-jik
Ki Sung-Yueng Lee Chang-Woo 🔄 59'
62' 🟨 J. Lee
68' 🔄 Moon Min-seo Yu Je-Ho
68' 🔄 Ri Yong-jik Kim Woo-jin
Jung Han-Min Won Ki-Jong 🔄 69'
74' 🔄 Kwon Sung-Yun Ha Seung-Un
82' 🟨 Shin Chang-Moo
82' 🔄 Shin Chang-Moo A. Ba Loua
82' 🔄 Choi Kyoung-Rok Kim Jong-Suk
84' J. Iredale (Kim Woo-jin)
Jeon Min-kwang Jin Si-woo 🔄 86'
J. Tranziska Jorge Teixeira 🔄 86'
Wanderson (Won Ki-Jong) 90'+7
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Gwangju FC

Goalkeepers
Kyeong-min Kim
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Sung-yun Kwon
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Teun van Grunsven
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yeong-kyu Ahn
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
João Pedro
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Chang-mu Shin
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kyoung-Rok Choi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yong-jik Ri
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Min-seo Moon
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Hólmbert Aron Friðjónsson
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
John Iredale
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Dong-hwa Kim
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Suk-Hwan Jang
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Seung-kyeom Im
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kim Woo-Jin
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yu Je-ho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Adriel D'Avila Ba Loua
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kim Jong-Seok
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Se-jong Ju
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Seung-un Ha
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Pohang Steelers

Goalkeepers
Sung-min Hong
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Defenders
Park Chan-Yong
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Min-kwang Jeon
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ho-jin Kim
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Jeong-won Eo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Sung-Yueng Ki
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Dong-jin Kim
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Wanderson
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Forwards
Hwang Seo-woong
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jakob Tranziska
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Han-min Jung
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Pyeong-guk Yun
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Min-jun Kang
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Chang-woo Lee
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jin Si-Woo
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ye-Sung Kim
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Ki-jong Won
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Jorge Teixeira
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Juninho Rocha
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Sang-hyeok Cho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note

Head to Head

Date Home Score Away Competition Venue
07/11/2026 Gwangju FC 0 - 3 Pohang Steelers K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
04/22/2026 Pohang Steelers 1 - 0 Gwangju FC K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
08/10/2025 Pohang Steelers 1 - 0 Gwangju FC K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
05/18/2025 Pohang Steelers 0 - 1 Gwangju FC K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
03/22/2025 Gwangju FC 2 - 3 Pohang Steelers K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
09/13/2024 Gwangju FC 2 - 1 Pohang Steelers K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
05/28/2024 Gwangju FC 0 - 1 Pohang Steelers K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
03/17/2024 Pohang Steelers 1 - 0 Gwangju FC K League 1 Steelyard Stadium
12/03/2023 Gwangju FC 0 - 0 Pohang Steelers K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
08/13/2023 Pohang Steelers 1 - 1 Gwangju FC K League 1 Steelyard Stadium
07/11/2026
K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
04/22/2026
K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
08/10/2025
K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
05/18/2025
K League 1 Pohang Steel Yard
03/22/2025
K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
09/13/2024
K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
05/28/2024
K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
03/17/2024
K League 1 Steelyard Stadium
12/03/2023
K League 1 Gwangju Football Stadium
08/13/2023
K League 1 Steelyard Stadium
Gwangju FC Win
Pohang Steelers Win
Draw

League Standings

Pos Team P Pts GF GA GD Form
1 FC Seoul 23 47 39 19 +20 WFC Seoul 4 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (15-08-2026)DGimcheon Sangmu FC 0 - 0 FC Seoul (08-08-2026)DJeonbuk Motors 0 - 0 FC Seoul (01-08-2026)LFC Seoul 1 - 3 Ulsan Hyundai FC (26-07-2026)WFC Seoul 3 - 1 Pohang Steelers (22-07-2026)
2 Ulsan Hyundai FC 22 37 35 30 +5 WPohang Steelers 0 - 2 Ulsan Hyundai FC (08-08-2026)WUlsan Hyundai FC 3 - 1 FC Anyang (02-08-2026)WFC Seoul 1 - 3 Ulsan Hyundai FC (26-07-2026)LUlsan Hyundai FC 1 - 2 Incheon United (21-07-2026)DDaejeon Citizen 2 - 2 Ulsan Hyundai FC (18-07-2026)
3 Jeonbuk Motors 22 34 28 19 +9 LJeonbuk Motors 1 - 3 Jeju United FC (08-08-2026)DJeonbuk Motors 0 - 0 FC Seoul (01-08-2026)WPohang Steelers 0 - 2 Jeonbuk Motors (25-07-2026)DJeonbuk Motors 0 - 0 Daejeon Citizen (21-07-2026)LIncheon United 1 - 0 Jeonbuk Motors (18-07-2026)
4 Jeju United FC 23 34 27 24 +3 WJeju United FC 2 - 0 FC Anyang (15-08-2026)WJeonbuk Motors 1 - 3 Jeju United FC (08-08-2026)DJeju United FC 3 - 3 Incheon United (02-08-2026)WGwangju FC 1 - 2 Jeju United FC (26-07-2026)DJeju United FC 1 - 1 Gangwon FC (21-07-2026)
5 Gangwon FC 21 32 25 17 +8 LGangwon FC 0 - 3 Bucheon FC 1995 (01-08-2026)LFC Anyang 2 - 1 Gangwon FC (26-07-2026)DJeju United FC 1 - 1 Gangwon FC (21-07-2026)WGangwon FC 2 - 0 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (18-07-2026)DFC Seoul 0 - 0 Gangwon FC (12-07-2026)
6 Pohang Steelers 23 31 22 25 -3 WGwangju FC 1 - 2 Pohang Steelers (15-08-2026)LPohang Steelers 0 - 2 Ulsan Hyundai FC (08-08-2026)LPohang Steelers 0 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (01-08-2026)LPohang Steelers 0 - 2 Jeonbuk Motors (25-07-2026)LFC Seoul 3 - 1 Pohang Steelers (22-07-2026)
7 Incheon United 22 30 29 25 +4 DIncheon United 1 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (16-08-2026)DJeju United FC 3 - 3 Incheon United (02-08-2026)DIncheon United 1 - 1 Bucheon FC 1995 (26-07-2026)WUlsan Hyundai FC 1 - 2 Incheon United (21-07-2026)WIncheon United 1 - 0 Jeonbuk Motors (18-07-2026)
8 FC Anyang 23 30 30 30 0 LJeju United FC 2 - 0 FC Anyang (15-08-2026)LFC Anyang 1 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (08-08-2026)LUlsan Hyundai FC 3 - 1 FC Anyang (02-08-2026)WFC Anyang 2 - 1 Gangwon FC (26-07-2026)WBucheon FC 1995 2 - 3 FC Anyang (22-07-2026)
9 Daejeon Citizen 23 26 29 28 +1 LFC Seoul 4 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (15-08-2026)WFC Anyang 1 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (08-08-2026)WDaejeon Citizen 2 - 0 Gwangju FC (02-08-2026)LGimcheon Sangmu FC 3 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (25-07-2026)DJeonbuk Motors 0 - 0 Daejeon Citizen (21-07-2026)
10 Gimcheon Sangmu FC 23 25 23 29 -6 DIncheon United 1 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (16-08-2026)DGimcheon Sangmu FC 0 - 0 FC Seoul (08-08-2026)WPohang Steelers 0 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (01-08-2026)WGimcheon Sangmu FC 3 - 2 Daejeon Citizen (25-07-2026)DGwangju FC 1 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (22-07-2026)
11 Bucheon FC 1995 22 24 21 25 -4 DBucheon FC 1995 0 - 0 Gwangju FC (08-08-2026)WGangwon FC 0 - 3 Bucheon FC 1995 (01-08-2026)DIncheon United 1 - 1 Bucheon FC 1995 (26-07-2026)LBucheon FC 1995 2 - 3 FC Anyang (22-07-2026)LBucheon FC 1995 1 - 3 FC Seoul (19-07-2026)
12 Gwangju FC 23 11 12 49 -37 LGwangju FC 1 - 2 Pohang Steelers (15-08-2026)DBucheon FC 1995 0 - 0 Gwangju FC (08-08-2026)LDaejeon Citizen 2 - 0 Gwangju FC (02-08-2026)LGwangju FC 1 - 2 Jeju United FC (26-07-2026)DGwangju FC 1 - 1 Gimcheon Sangmu FC (22-07-2026)