FC Anyang marked their first-ever appearance in South Korea’s top-flight with a stunning upset, defeating three-time reigning champions Ulsan HD at the Ulsan Munsu Stadium on Sunday.
Bruno Mota delivered the decisive goal in the second minute of injury time, securing a dramatic 1-0 victory for the debutants away at the defending K League 1 champions.
Anyang earned their historic promotion from the K League 2 after clinching the second-tier championship last season.
Despite Ulsan dominating possession with a 66-34 advantage and outshooting Anyang 8-5, the newly promoted side held firm and seized their moment in the dying minutes. Mota capitalized on a well-placed cross from Yago Cesar, expertly heading the ball into the net to seal the victory.
Following the match, Anyang head coach Ryu Byeong-hoon expressed his gratitude to the passionate supporters who traveled a great distance to witness the club’s first-ever K League 1 fixture.
“This is the moment our fans have been waiting for—our first win at the highest level,” Ryu stated, as quoted from Yonhap. “Their support gave us the strength to push through challenges today. While we may not be immediate title contenders, my objective is to develop this squad into a competitive force within the next two to three years.”
The past two K League 1 seasons have seen newly promoted sides achieve strong finishes, with Gwangju FC securing third place in 2023 and Gimcheon Sangmu claiming the bronze medal in 2024. Now, Anyang will be hoping to continue the trend and make it three in a row, with the Ulsan win hopefully providing the men in purple with a solid foundation moving forward.