In today’s Korean K League 1 match Vladislavs Gutkovskis opened his goal count this season by scoring twice, but his team, Daejeon, could not maintain a two-goal lead and ended up with a 2:2 draw against Seoul.
The 30-year-old Latvian striker started his second match of the season in the Korean top-flight as Daejeon traveled to the capital of South Korea to take on the local Seoul side.
Gutkovskis had not scored in his previous six appearances this season, but he opened his account in the 43rd minute by successfully converting a penalty kick, giving Daejeon a 1:0 lead. Just four minutes later, he scored again, capitalizing on a defender’s mistake and beating the goalkeeper from close range to extend the lead to two goals.
The Latvian national team striker, who has struggled with injuries since arriving in Korea in the summer of 2023, matched his total goal count for the club with today’s performance.
However, Daejeon couldn’t hold onto their lead. In the 58th minute, Seoul pulled one back, and nine minutes later, former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard equalized for Seoul.
Gutkovskis played for 63 minutes before being substituted. Despite the draw, Daejeon remains at the top of the South Korean K League 1 league table with 17 points after nine matches.
Vladislavs and his Daejeon teammates in their next match will face lower league side Gangneung on Wednesday as they begin their quest in the Korean Cup.