Holding your own against the league’s top team is never an easy task – especially when it’s in your first game back after an eight week layoff – but Jeju United did just that on Saturday, playing the Pohang Steelers to a scoreless draw in Seogwipo.

United’s roster appeared to be a watered down version of the one seen in the season’s first half. Kim Hyun and Jin Dae-Sung, who have combined for three of Jeju’s nine goals this season, were out of action, as were import players Stokić, Vélez, and nine other players that had seen regular playing time before the May layoff.

Despite their roster modifications, Jeju noticeably controlled the game’s scoring chances throughout the evening.

United’s first good attempt came on 12 minutes. A corner kick was redirected to the top of the box by Shin Hwa-yong in Pohang's goal, but Song Jin-Hyung was there to retrieve it. Song volleyed on target from outside the box, but found the crossbar instead of the mesh netting he was hoping for.

United followed up that attack with three more quality scoring chances over the next 6 minutes of play, but they were not able to convert any of them to goals. While Jeju pressed for the remainder of the first half, Pohang did not muster anything of consequence.

Jeju continued to dominate the offense in the second half. A 52nd-minute free kick from Yoon Bit-Garam got through the wall and on target from near mid-field, but a diving Shin in Pohang's goal was able to get his fists on the ball and steer it left of the goal.

▲ Jeju United battled out a stalemate with league leaders Pohang Steelers. Photo courtesy Jeju United Football Club

Pohang finally gave United a scare in the 57th minute. Defender Park Sun-Ju snuck into the play and one-timed a cross pass from the top of the box that sailed above the leaping reach of Jeju keeper Kim Ho-Jun, but luckily the ball clanged the crossbar instead of dropping in the net.

With both teams aggressively seeking the game’s ice-breaker goal, intensity flared up. In the 86 minute, United defender Kim Su-Beom wound up for a shot at the top of the box, where he was met with a body check better suited for an ice hockey game from Pohang midfielder Son Joon-Ho. Son was booked for the second time and received his marching orders. Yoon Bit-Garam took the resulting free kick but failed to make it past the human screen set up in front of it.

With 3 minutes of injury time posted, Jeju found themselves with another free kick on 90 minutes. This time, Park Su-Chang’s shot did slip through the wall, but it would suffer the same fate as the other close calls of the match – yet another crossbar.

Jeju pressed hard right to the final whistle, but ultimately neither club would get themselves on the scoreboard.

The shared spoils gave Jeju United one point, keeping them in third place on the K-League Classic table and sustaining their one point buffer over fourth place Jeonnam Dragons.

Jeju United’s next match is on Wednesday July 9th, when they take on the team they trail for second place and could leapfrog with a win, Jeonbuk Motors.

*********

Dave Cunning is a freelance writer from Kelowna, BC, Canada. Read his blog http://davecunning.wordpress.com, listen to his podcast http://xppsp.podbean.com and follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/davecunning