Pohang Steelers vs. Ulsan Hyundai Betting Preview With Pick – K League 1, June 6

There are some very interesting fixtures in K League 1 this weekend, but this might turn out to be the best of the lot.

Pohang Steelers finished last season looking a real danger to the top teams, showing that it should be able to compete for the title this year, and on matchday five, it hosts an Ulsan Hyundai side that missed out on the chance of topping the table last weekend. You can find my take on this match below as I outline my Pohang Steelers vs. Ulsan Hyundai prediction and betting pick.

It has been a while since Pohang Steelers seriously competed for the title, but last year’s second half of the season suggested that things were looking up. Results have been patchy so far, but there will be some confidence that an equally inconsistent Ulsan can be beaten. BetOnline’s odds for the draw stand out for me here, though.

Pohang exerted its dominance last week against a very limited Incheon United, with an early goal and a very late strike bookending a performance in which the three points were never really in doubt. Stanislav Iljutcenko opened the scoring in the seventh minute, and the Steelers never looked back.

This week’s opponent should be far tougher to beat, but there are signs that Pohang can compete with the very best in K League 1. Draws and defeats with the likes of Daegu and FC Seoul will have to be eliminated, but there is enough talent in the Steelers squad — and a very good manager in Kim Ki-dong — to give Ulsan a game this weekend.

Ulsan’s players will probably still be smarting over missing out on the chance to go top of the table last week. With Jeonbuk losing to Gangwon, the Horangi didn’t take advantage of the situation and had to battle for just a point with newly promoted Gwangju.

It was another week of tinkering with the starting eleven for Ulsan boss Kim Do-hoon. His side played well, but the constant changing of the defensive unit has to have some effect on performances and results. Gwangju actually played much better than it had done all season, but it was definitely two points lost for Ulsan.

It will be interesting to see what Ulsan team comes out to face Pohang on Saturday, but whoever is selected should be able to give the hosts a good game. I feel that the Steelers will be desperate to show that it should be regarded as a title challenger this year and take the game to the Horangi. That may leave gaps in the defense, but this is an exciting game in prospect that could end all square.