Jeonbuk left it late to secure all three points in Jeonju
Normal service resumed in the K-League on Friday, as Jeonbuk Motors hosted rivals Suwon Bluewings at the World Cup Stadium in Jeonju. The Korean top-flight is the first major football league to kick-off following the worldwide outbreak of the Covid-19 virus and the curtain raiser played out behind closed doors.
Despite holding the upper hand over Suwon in recent meetings, Jeonbuk endured a sluggish start to the game. Murilo produced the first shot of the game, but it was tame and did not concern No Dong-geon in goal for the visitors.
The defending champions were on the back foot quickly, as Suwon enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages.
Adam Taggart, who netted 20 goals and became the top-scorer in the division last season, was involved in an early exchange, which presented an opening for Suwon. However, the Australian failed to capitalise after drifting to an offside position.
Jeonbuk slowly got back into their stride and continued their steady build-up leading to the half-time interval. Murilo was yet again involved in the thick of the action, while Kim Bo-Kyung also saw a shot deflected wide for a corner.
Doneil Henry proved to be a towering presence at the heart of the defence for Suwon, as Jeonbuk continued to knock on the doors with their build-up play just before half-time.
The hosts picked up from where they left off in the first half after the interval, and tested Dong-geon in the Suwon goal. However, the shot-stopper was always equal to the task and received good support from his defenders.
Suwon also survived a nervy moment in the 51st minute, when the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) opted against giving a penalty, after allegations of Henry handling the ball in the penalty area.
Jeonbuk continued to build the pressure on their rivals and were handed a huge shot in the arm in the 75th minute, when Terry Antonis received a straight red card. The Australian went in for a rash tackle on Son Jun-Ho and subsequently received the marching orders from referee Kim Woo-seong.
Jose Morais was finally rewarded for his substitution after the hour mark, as veteran and club legend Lee Dong-gook scored through a near-post header in the 83rd minute.
The 41-year-old is the oldest player to play in the K-League and came up with the goods to help Jeonbuk start their title defence on a winning note.
Jeonbuk will now face Busan IPark away from home in their next fixture, while Suwon have yet another tough outing against last season’s runners-up Ulsan Hyundai at home.
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