Although still looking for a first win in K League, Cheonan City were able to achieve one small milestone last time out. The 0-0 draw at home to Seoul E-Land was their first cleansheet since making the step up to K League. It was also their second draw in the space of three matches to take them to three for the campaign. Cheonan take on fellow K League 2 newcomers Chungbuk Cheongju at home this Saturday, a game that will have been earmarked by the club and its fans as one that should be winnable. However, Chungbuk Cheongju are in fine form with three wins and two draws from their last five matches. Last time out, the Lions overcame promotion favourites FC Anyang by two goals to one thanks to goals from Peter Makrillos and Yang Ji-hoon.
Chungbuk Cheongju won the first K League meeting between the two sides, earning a 2-1 victory in May with Jorge Luiz and Hong Won-jin on target. It was, however, Chungbuk Cheongju's only win over Cheonan City from seven total meetings. The previous six that had been played in K3 all ended in Cheonan's favour. Cheonan will be looking to Bruno Mota for inspiration as the club's top scorer this season with four goals. He has been the busiest in front of goal with 26 total shots and with 13 finding the target, Mota sits joint 13th in the division in that regard. Chungbuk Cheongju, meanwhile, will be without Peter Marillos through suspension and so will look to Jorge Luiz who's on the hunt for his first goals this month. He last found the net in the 3-1 win over Jeonnam Dragons four rounds ago.
Chungbuk Cheongju, sitting ninth and just a point behind Jeonnam and Seoul E-Land, know that a win could take them up to seventh place. For Cheonan, a win would double their current point tally and, at the same time, narrow the gap with Ansan Greeners just above them.
Team of the Round
Jeonnam Dragons (vs. Gyeongnam FC, Sun. 16th July - 20:00)
A run of three matches unbeaten has moved Jeonnam Dragons up to seventh in the table and just five points away from the top five. Last time out, the Dragons fought back from 3-0 down to earn a draw away to Chugnam Asan. Noh Geon-woo got the comeback started on 67 minutes before Brazilian star Valdivia made it 3-2 two minutes from time. Then, deep into stoppage time, Choo Chang-hoon fired in the equaliser. The Dragons are beginning to live up to their early-season hype and are getting themselves in the playoff mix. This has perhaps been helped by the Dragons having the second-best shooting accuracy in the division with 41.5% with Valdivia having dispatched the most shots and the second-most from outside the area. Up next, though, is Gyeongnam FC who sit top of the table and a side they lost 5-0 to earlier in the campaign and so Lee Jang-kwan's men will be looking to avenge that heavy defeat.
Player of the Round
Cho Young-wook, Gimcheon Sangmu (vs. Gimpo FC, Sat. 15th July - 19:30)
A 92nd-minute winner from Cho Young-wook sent Gimcheon Sangmu to a fourth win in a row. It was his seventh of the campaign which has already bettered his tally from last year and is one shy of his career best of eight in 2021. Needless to say, Cho is having a great season while on military service with Gimcheon but evidence of this can be seen in certain statistics. Cho is first for touches in the box with 79, third in K League 2 for shots with 45, and eighth for accuracy with 46.67%. The on-loan FC Seoul man is also second for key passes with 13 and eighth for deep completions with 22. Up next for Gimcheon is a Gimpo away on Saturday.
Elsewhere in K League 2 Round 21
A clash between two Gyeonggi Province sides sees Ansan Greeners host Bucheon FC 1995. Ansan are on a run of seven straight losses and haven't won since mid-April while Bucheon were on a run of four unbeaten but lost last time out to Gimcheon Sangmu. The task for both teams, then, is to return to winning ways.
Three unbeaten and with just one loss in five, a somewhat in-form Chungnam Asan are at home to FC Anyang this Saturday night. The Owls, though, had been 3-0 up in their last match only to draw 3-3 and so will be looking to make amends. The Violets, too, will be keen to put last week behind then as defeat to Chungbuk Cheongju mean it was two losses in a row.
On Sunday, Busan IPark go up against Seongnam FC looking to bounce back from the defeat to Gimcheon last time out. A win could move the south coast side back to the top of the table should results elsewhere go their way. Seongnam, meanwhile, have slipped to 11th in the table following a run of six games without a win. But, due to how closely contested the K League 2 table is at present, a win for the Magpies could move them up to seventh or eighth.
K League 2 Table
K League 2 Round 21 Fixtures
Saturday 15th July
#CCFCvCHFC: Cheonan City (13th) vs Chungbuk Cheongju (9th) - 19:00
#ANSvBUC: Ansan Greeners (12th) vs Bucheon FC 1995 (5th) - 19:30
#GFCvGIM: Gimpo FC (6th) vs Gimcheon Sangmu (2nd) - 19:30
#CAFCvANY: Chungnam Asan (10th) vs FC Anyang (4th) - 20:00
Sunday 16th July
#BUSvSFC: Busan IPark (3rd) vs Seongnam FC (11th) - 19:00
#GYEvJDFC: Gyeongnam FC (1st) vs Jeonnam Dragons (7th) - 20:00
Where to Watch
