(Reuters) – Jeonbuk Motors extended their winning run in South Korean football as a 2-0 victory over Jeju United at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Sunday earned them a record-extending fifth consecutive K-League title.
Second-half goals from Han Kyo-won and Song Min-kyu were enough to ensure Jeonbuk finished ahead of Ulsan Hyundai, who needed to beat Daegu FC and hope Kim Sang-sik’s side slipped up to overturn a two-point gap at the top.
Jeonbuk’s ninth league crown since 2009 came in Kim’s first season as head coach after he replaced Portugal’s Jose Morais at the end of the last campaign.
“These players know how to win, because they’ve done it so often,” Kim told Yonhap.
“They understand what it takes to win championships and how they should play to make it happen. That’s part of Jeonbuk’s championship DNA.”
Jeonbuk have qualified for the group phase of next year’s Asian Champions League, a competition they have won twice.
Han opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half when he struck from close range and Song put the result beyond doubt with 16 minutes remaining, latching on to Takahiro Kunimoto’s through ball before beating Lee Chang-guen.
Jeonbuk finished two points ahead of Ulsan, who defeated Daegu 2-0 as Hong Myung-bo’s side also qualified for the Asian Champions League.
Ulsan will go into the qualifying rounds of the continental competition alongside Daegu after they claimed third place in the standings despite their loss on Sunday.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ed Osmond)
