No rest for the weary with yet more mid-week K League action coming up. In Round 20 of the 2022 Hana 1Q K League 1 season, FC Seoul take on Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors looking for a first win over the Green Warriors in five years, Gangwon FC take on Ulsan looking to go three unbeaten for the first time this season, and Kim Seung-dae and Pohang Steelers are at Seongnam FC looking to keep their pursuit of AFC Champions League football on track.
Match of the Round
FC Seoul (7th) vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2nd), Wed. 6th July - 19:30 KST
The weekend's comeback kings meet at Seoul World Cup Stadium this Wednesday when FC Seoul take on Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Hosts FC Seoul recovered from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 away to Jeju United on Saturday thanks to goals from Jung Han-min and Kang Seong-jin after Gerso Fernandes and Kim Bum-soo had given Jeju the team. Jeonbuk, meanwhile, came from behind to earn a 2-1 win away to Gimcheon. Yeon Je-woon had the army side 1-0 up after 22 minutes but Takahiro Kunimoto restored parity on 57 minutes before Gustavo turned the game on its head 10 minutes from time. The win, coupled with Ulsan's loss to Pohang, made it four unbeaten with three wins in the league and moves Jeonbuk up to second and just five points off top spot. For Seoul, the draw means An Ik-soo's men have just one loss in five.
FC Seoul have dispatched the second-most shots from open play in K League 1 with 223, fourth from outside the area with 94. Jeonbuk, though, have been found to be the more accurate shooters compared to Seoul, sitting fourth in K League 1 in this regard and no team has made more headed shots than Jeonbuk with 42. Gustavo is Jeonbuk's best aerial threat having had 11 headed attempts on goal while Cho Young-wook of FC Seoul is fourth for touches in the box. Wednesday's meeting will be the second of 2022, the first ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a late Park Dong-jin equaliser for FC Seoul after Ryu Jae-moon's 63-minute opener. Jeonbuk's record against FC Seoul is very good having not lost to their capital club since July 2017, 16 meetings ago.
The match has been chosen for overseas broadcasting, check local listings. Alternatively, follow the action LIVE, for FREE and in HD on
TV.KLeague.com.
Team of the Round
Gangwon FC (vs. Ulsan Hyundai)
Gangwon FC secured a 2-0 away win over Seongnam FC last time out thanks to goals from Kim Young-bin and Jung Seung-yong. After an impressive 4-2 win over Jeju in the previous match, Gangwon were able to pick up back-to-back wins for the first time since March and April 2021 and first since Choi Yong-soo took over as manager. Back-to-back wins move Gangwon FC up to ninth in the table and nine points clear of 12th. Gangwon's upturn in form has been driven by Kim Dae-won who, in the Round 18 win over Jeju, scored two and assisted two, followed by another assist in the 2-0 win over Seongnam FC on Saturday. This Wednesday, Gangwon take on Ulsan Hyundai, a side which will be looking to bounce back from defeat last time out. The Horangi were left licking their wounds from a 2-0 East Coast Derby defeat to Pohang Steelers.
The match has been chosen for overseas broadcasting, check local listings. Alternatively, follow the action LIVE, for FREE and in HD on
TV.KLeague.com.
Player of the Round
Kim Seung-dae, Pohang Steelers (vs. Seongnam FC)
A brace from Kim Seung-dae against Ulsan Hyundai last time out sealed a 2-0 Pohang Steelers win. Said goals were Kim's first since returning to the Steelyard after rejoining the club on loan from Jeonbuk this winter. They were also his first goals at the Steelyard since 2019 when he also scored in a win over Ulsan. In Sunday's match, Kim scored with his only two chances and did so from an xG of 1.03 with just two touches in the penalty area, displaying how clinical he was. His passing accuracy was at 79%, passes to final third 100%, and 63% for forward passes from right wing. In the
Adidas Dynamic Point system, Kim moves up 186 places to 15th. Up next for Kim and Pohang is the long trip north to Tancheon Sports Complex to take on the league's basement side Seongnam FC.
K League 1 Round 20 Fixtures
Tuesday 5th July
#SFCvPOH: Seongnam FC (12th) vs Pohang Steelers (3rd) - 19:00
#GIMvJEJ: Gimcheon Sangmu (10th) vs Jeju United (4th) - 19:00
#ULSvGAN: Ulsan Hyundai (1st) vs Gangwon FC (9th) - 19:30
Wednesday 6th July
#SSBvDAE: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1st) vs Daegu FC (2nd) - 19:00
#INCvSUW: Incheon United (1st) vs Suwon FC (2nd) - 19:00
#SEOvJEO: FC Seoul (1st) vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2nd) - 19:30
Paul Neat
Editor-in-Chief
