Jeonbuk and Ulsan’s 110th Hyundai Family Derby could upend the all-time series
The 110th Hyundai Family Derby will take place.
Jeonbuk Hyundai and Ulsan Hyundai will face off in the 16th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on March 3. Currently, Jeonbuk is seventh in the league with 18 points, while Ulsan is first with 38 points.
This is the second Hyundai Derby of the ‘Box Office Guarantee Check’ season. Jeonbuk and Ulsan met once before in the season opener, with the former taking the lead through Song Min-gyu, but the latter came back to win thanks to goals from Uhm Won-sang and Rubikson.
Jeonbuk is ready for revenge. Despite losing their last game against the Pohang Steelers, Jeonbuk rebounded under Kim Doo-hyun to win two, draw two, and lose one of their five league games in May. It was especially encouraging to see the team play better than before, scoring three goals each against Suwon Samsung and Suwon FC, signaling the return of their signature “dakgong soccer” style. Jeonbuk will be looking to carry the momentum from May into June, and a win against Ulsan is essential.
Injuries are unfortunate. Jeonbuk has lost Meng Seong-woong and Baek Seung-ho, both of whom have been performing well lately, and Kim Moon-hwan went down with an injury in the last match against Pohang. While there are replacements available, it’s frustrating to see key players on the sidelines ahead of a crucial match against a rival.
Ulsan will look to capitalize on Jeonbuk’s faltering form to secure the win. Having set a dominant pace this season, Ulsan will be eager to cement their place at the top of the table with a second Hyundai Derby victory after the opener.
Form is good. Ulsan won four games and drew one in May alone, most notably against Daejeon Hana Citizens, where they showed their ability to come back from a two-goal deficit to make it 3-3 late in the second half and reaffirmed why they are the favorites this season. Ulsan’s six-game winning streak came to a halt with the draw against Daejeon, and they plan to make Jeonbuk the first game of their winning streak.
Ulsan will be missing Kim Young-kwon’s injury, but will be counting on In-jae-gyu, who has been in good form lately. He leads the team in scoring with eight goals this season, including a multi-goal performance in the last match against Daejeon that earned the team a dramatic draw.
One of the key points to watch in this match is the all-time record. With 109 matches played so far in the Hyundai Street Derby, the two teams are tied at 40 wins, 29 draws, and 40 losses. If this match doesn’t end in a draw, that number will change. This is enough to make the rivalry interesting to watch. 안전놀이터