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K리그1・2의 최신 소식을 모두 확인 할 수 있는 공간입니다.

Playoff Preview: Gangwon FC vs Daejeon Hana Citizen

league 2021.12.10   I   조회수 1172


With the tie still on a knife-edge, Gangwon FC host Daejeon Hana Citizen this Sunday for leg two of the Promotion/Relegation Playoff Final. Gangwon trail 1-0 and so nothing less than a win will do to guarantee that survival is secured in the 90 minutes. Daejeon, meanwhile, will be looking to finish the job after securing a hard-fought win and a cleansheet in Wednesday's first leg.

Overview

With the aggregate score at 1-0 to Daejeon, the Purples only need a draw to win and secure promotion to K League 1. If the aggregate score is level after both legs, the away goals rule will apply. If no away goals are scored then extra time will be played at the end of the second leg. However, away goals don't count after extra time. If the score is level after extra time, a penalty shootout will determine the winners. The winners will play in K League 1 next season while the losers will play in K League 2.

The same substitute rules used in K League 2 will apply. Teams will be able to make three changes if there is one U22 player in the starting XI and one on the bench. Only two substitutions can be made if there is only one U22 player in the matchday squad. An additional substitute will be permitted in extra time.

First Leg

Wednesday's first leg ended 1-0 to Daejeon Hana Citizen. Masatoshi Ishida, who is on loan to Daejeon from Gangwon FC, showed great close control and skill to work his way into the six-yard area before teeing up former Gangwon midfielder Lee Hyun-sik. Gangwon, though, had most of the ball with 56% possession to Daejeon's 44%. Choi Yong-soo's side had nine shots, three of which hit the target whereas Daejeon had 12 attempts with five on target. 

Highlights


Team News

Gangwon's Han Kook-young played the full 90 minutes on Wednesday night, despite needing to sit out the 2-1 win over Seongnam with an ankle injury. Choi Yong-soo had said that Han is a player his time can "ill afford" to be without, such is his importance. However, Ko Mu-yeol is a major doubt after missing the last six matches. Kim Ji-hoon should be available having returned from military service with Gimcheon Sangmu.

Daejeon manager Lee Min-sung has a fully fit squad at his disposal. Ikromjon Alibaev is fit and has completed quarantine following his recent trip to Uzbekistan for international duty but was left out on Wednesday night due to tactical reasons. 

Head-to-Head & Playoff Record

Prior to Wednesday, the most recent meeting between the two clubs was back in 2016 when Gangwon FC and Daejeon Citizen were in K League Challenge, now K League 2. That season, each team picked up two wins from the four meetings, the most recent ending 2-1 to Daejeon in October 2016. Gustavo Sauerbeck and Park Dae-hoon scored in time added on to earn the win. Overall, there have been 24 meetings between the two sides with Daejeon winning 12, Gangwon eight and four draws. 

Gangwon won the Promotion/Relegation Playoffs in 2016, eventually beating Bucheon FC 1995 2-1 in the semifinal before easing past Busan IPark with a 1-0 victory in the Promotion Final. Gangwon then faced Seongnam over two legs, drawing the first 0-0 before going up via the away goals rule with a 1-1 draw at Tancheon in the second leg. The Bears came down via the playoffs in 2013, the very first K League promotion/relegation playoff.

This is Daejeon Hana Citizen's first-ever Promotion/Playoff Final. The Purples made it to the Promotion Final in 2018 but lost to Busan IPark and reached the semifinals last year but a 1-1 draw away to Gyeongnam ended the Purples' promotion hopes. 

What to Watch

Gangwon's reaction, Daejeon's game management


In the wake of the 1-0 Daejeon win on Wednesday, both managers said, "it's not over yet". For Choi this is a rallying cry to his players, for Lee, it's a reminder to guard against complacency. Choi Yong-soo will be expecting more from his forwards. Lee Jeong-hyeop led the line in the first leg with Shin Chang-mu and Kim Dae-won on the flanks. In the 83 minutes he was on the pitch in the first, Kim Dae-won had two shots but neither hit the target. Shin played 59 minutes, had two attempts on goal but neither found the target and had one touch in the box before being replaced by Hwang Mun-ki. Lee Jeong-hyeop had no shots at all in 94 minutes and had two touches in the box. Matija Ljujić was introduced in the second half and will be hoping he did enough to earn a starting berth. Kim Dae-won and Hwang Mun-ki are Gangwon's most accurate shooters and so will be looking to save the Bears come Sunday.

For Daejeon, manager Lee Min-sung says that playing for a draw would be "dangerous" and that his team will be looking to keep playing according to its own "pattern" to go for the win. Lee will therefore be looking for more of the same from Lee Hyun-sik and Masatoshi who combined to score the first leg's winning goal. Masatoshi and Lee Hyun-sik played as central midfielders in a 4-5-1 on Wednesday, both have been asked to play further forward in a front three at times this season. 


Where to Watch



Gangwon FC versus Daejeon Hana Citizen kicks off at 14:00 KST on Sunday 12th December 2021. Fans in countries with K League overseas broadcasting rights can follow the game live on television. More information can be found here.

Alternatively, the match is also available for FREE on tv.kleague.com.

Paul Neat
Managing Editor

K LEAGUE