□ Match of the Round – ‘Suwon FC vs Gangwon’ with a long road ahead
In Round 19, Suwon FC and Gangwon will meet. With Suwon FC currently in 10th place (18 points) and Gangwon in 11th place (12 points), both teams have a long way to go to stay away from the relegation zone.
The home team is in a bad place, with two wins, one draw, and seven losses in their last 10 matches, including a two-match losing streak. Through 18 rounds, Suwon have scored 20 goals and conceded 36, which means they’ve scored 1.1 goals and conceded 2 goals per game. That’s ninth in goals scored and first in goals conceded out of 12 teams in the K League 1.
For Suwon FC to rebound, both the defense and offense will need to improve, especially the latter, which is the club’s biggest weakness, in order to draw games, win games, and accumulate points.
Meanwhile, Suwon FC’s reliable goal scorer Ras is still going strong this year with six goals and five assists, while Lee Seung-woo is showing some signs of life with his second goal of the season in the last 18 rounds. Suwon FC will be relying on the duo to be on their toes against Gangwon.
Their opponents, Gangwon, reorganized during the A-Match by appointing a new head coach, Yoon Jung-hwan. At his inaugural press conference, the new coach vowed to “play aggressive soccer, not backward soccer, but forward soccer.”
Kangwon has only two wins through 18 rounds and has scored just 11 goals, the lowest in the K League 1, but there is hope. Gangwon recently signed wing forward Yoon Il-rok on loan from Ulsan, and Lee Seung-won, who won the Bronze Ball at the U-20 World Cup with three goals and four assists, could also be used as a new attacking option.
The head-to-head record between Suwon FC and Gangwon is 7 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses, with Suwon FC holding a slight lead, and Suwon won 2-0 in the 11th round this season. Looking to turn the tide, Suwon FC and Gangwon will meet for the second time this season at Suwon Sports Complex on Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Team of the Round – Gwangju looking to jump into the mid-table
Gwangju (8th, 25 points) has been on a tear in its last five matches, picking up three wins and two draws. It’s a remarkable turnaround for Gwangju, who at one point went seven games without a win (three draws and four losses).
This season, the promoted team has been drawing attention for its unrelenting attacking football, but its solid defense has also been a hidden strength. Through 18 rounds, Gwangju has kept six clean sheets, the third most in the league behind Daegu and Jeonbuk (seven). Gwangju also has an even scoring attack, with Thomas, Ahn Young-kyu, Heo Yul, and Uhm Ji Sung each scoring two goals in addition to Asani’s five.
Meanwhile, during the A-match period, Chung Ho-yeon played full-time for the U24 national team in both friendlies against China, picking up an assist, while Asani also tasted goals for the Albanian national team. Both players will look to continue their good form with their respective clubs.
Meanwhile, Gwangju’s opponent in this round is Jeonbuk. Jeonbuk is also rebounding nicely, with four wins in their last five matches, and will be making the debut of new coach Dan Petrescu this weekend. The teams met in the third round, with Jeonbuk winning 2-0. The teams will meet for the second time this season on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Gwangju Football Stadium.
Player of the Round – Varsity/Sub Team Perfect Performance, Kim Bong-soo (Jeju)
Kim Bong-soo is in his third year as a professional after making his debut with Jeju in 2021. He has steadily established himself, playing 28 games in his first year and 33 in his second, and has earned the trust of head coach Nam Ki-il, who has seen him play in all but one game this year up until Round 18.
While Kim usually plays as a defensive midfielder or defender, he has also contributed to the offense, scoring back-to-back goals in rounds 10 and 11 this year.
Kim’s performances have continued with the age-group national team. Kim has steadily risen through the ranks since his first call-up to Hwang’s U23 squad last year, and he recently started both of the U24s’ two friendlies against China, recording two assists.바카라사이트
Now, Kim will return to his home club, Jeju, to help them fight for the top spot in the standings.
At one point, Jeju was on a five-game winning streak and had climbed as high as second place, but back-to-back losses in their last two games have dropped them to fourth place (28 points). However, Jeju is only three points behind second-place Pohang (31 points) and can leap up to second place with a win.
Jeju’s next opponent is seventh-place Daejeon (26 points). The two teams met in Round 10, with Jeju winning 3-0, with Kim Bong-soo scoring his first goal of the season. Kim Bong-soo will continue to anchor Jeju’s midfield in this match with his work rate and ball possession. The second meeting of the season between Jeju and Daejeon will take place on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. at Jeju World Cup Stadium.