Young soccer dynamo Park Chu-young (pictured, center) could lose out in his bid to become the first player to win the domestic K-league's most valuable player and top rookie awards in the same season.

Hurting his candidacy are his loss of the scoring title to Leandro Machado (pictured, right) of Ulsan Hyundai by a single goal and the failure of his team FC Seoul to make the playoffs.

Machado of Brazil led the league with 13 goals, and his two scores Saturday helped his team to a 5-1 romp over Incheon United in the first leg of the championship.

Another Brazilian, Nadson of Suwon Samsung, made history last season as the first foreigner to win the MVP award in the league's 22-year history.

But another candidate on the horizon is national team striker Lee Chun-soo (pictured, left), who scored seven goals and had four assists in 13 games for Ulsan.

His stock rose Saturday after he scored a hat trick in the 5-1 rout of Incheon United in the first leg of the K-league championship.

The nation's soccer writers will vote for the MVP and the league will announce the winner on December 12th.