2026 K League 1 Round 11 Preview
2026 K League 1 Round 11 Preview Round 11 of the 2026 K League 1 season is headlined by one of the competition’s fiercest rivalries, as Ulsan HD and Pohang Steelers meet in the first East Coast Derby of the current campaign. Elsewhere, FC Anyang look to build on an emphatic victory and push for consecutive wins, while Incheon United aim to continue their rise up the table with a third straight win in sight. Match of the Round First East Coast Derby of 2026 Round 11 features the first East Coast Derby of the season, as well as the first managerial meeting between Ulsan’s Kim Hyun-seok and Pohang’s Park Tae-ha.
Both managers were key figures in this fixture during their playing days and now face off once again as head coaches of their respective former clubs. Ulsan, under Kim Hyun-seok in his first season in charge, currently sit second with 17 points, despite the recent heavh home loss to Daejeon Hana Citizen. Their recent form has been driven largely by attacking output, with goals coming from a variety of sources, including Yago Cariello (five), Marcao (four), and Lee Dong-gyeong (three).
In addition, Ulsan have shown strength in physical attacking situations, ranking second in attacking third ground duels won (49. 1% per cent) and third in aerial duels won (51. 9%), making effective use of their tall forwards such as Yago, Marcao, and Heo Yool.
Ulsan will be aiming to close the gap on league leaders Seoul with a win. Pohang (9th, 12 points) will look to use this round as an opportunity to turn their form around. They have recorded one win and three losses in their last four matches and have struggled for consistent scoring options beyond Lee Ho-jae (six goals).
While their build-up play remains solid, reflected in an average possession of 54. 3% (third in the league), they have found it difficult to convert that into goals. Against rivals Ulsan, Pohang will look to shift momentum, with attacking players such as Jorge Teixeira and Juninho Rocha - both still searching for their first goals of the season - key to that effort.
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