The race for the top scorer in professional soccer’s K League 1 is different than in previous years. Unlike last year, when each team’s frontline strikers dominated the top of the leaderboard, this year, players from a variety of positions are making their mark.
The 10 K League 1 clubs completed their 18th round of play on Nov. 11. They took a two-week break during the A-Match in June. At the end of the 18th round, the top scorer was Lee In-gyu (Ulsan) with 10 goals. He scored 10 goals in 17 matches. Only one of his goals came from a double penalty kick (PK). His whole body is a weapon, as he scored four goals with his left foot, five with his right foot, and one header. He finished second in scoring last year (17 goals), and his presence has continued to shine this year.
Behind Lee In-jong-kyu, there are a number of players in various positions who are also eye-catching.
Second on the list with eight goals is Bako (Ulsan) and Na Sang-ho (Seoul), who primarily plays as a flanker. After scoring eight goals last year, Bako matched his tally in 17 games. Na Sang-ho also had a strong run in April, including a goal in four consecutive games, and at one point led the league in scoring. He was also the only K League player among the second-string strikers in June.
Rounding out the top three with six goals 스포츠토토 are frontline strikers Thiago (Daejeon), Yuri Jonatan (Jeju) and Ras (Suwon FC), as well as second-stringers Rubikson (Ulsan) and Ko Young-joon (Pohang).
Below them, Lee Ho-jae (Pohang) and Edgar (Daegu), both with five goals, are frontline strikers, while Hayes and Seo Jin-soo (Jeju), Asani (Gwangju), and Go Jae-hyun and Sejing-ya (Daegu) are wingers or second-line strikers. Rounding out the top five with four goals are midfielders Masa (Daejeon) and Yoon Beom-garam (Suwon FC). There is literally scoring competition in every position.
Last year, the top three scorers at the end of Round 18 were Moo Gosa (14 goals), In Ju-gyu (12 goals), and Cho Kyu-sung (11 goals). All were frontline strikers. Wingers and attacking midfielders Kim Dae-won (Gangwon FC), Uhm Won-sang (Ulsan), and Lee Seung-woo (Suwon FC) followed closely behind with eight goals apiece. This year, there are more contenders in the race for the top spot.
There are still 20 games left in the league. Fans will be interested to see if Lee In-gyu can hold on to the top spot until the end, or if a new challenger will step up.