Playoff implications are aplenty this Wednesday when two rearranged 2022 K League 2 Round 29 matches go ahead. Daejeon Hana Citizen take on Jeonnam Dragons knowing a win will move them up to second while Chungnam Asan host Seoul E-Land with both teams fighting for the last playoff spot.

Wednesday 5th October

#DHFCvJDFC: Daejeon Hana Citizen (3rd) vs Jeonnam Dragons (10th) - 19:00

Daejeon Hana Citizen's remaining game in hand is the re-arranged Round 29 home fixture with Jeonnam Dragons. If the Purples win they move above FC Anyang and into second place, back in the driving seat to finish as K League 2 runners-up in 2022, and head straight into a playoff with 11th in K League 1. Daejeon's recent record against Jeonnam makes for positive reading for the Purple Arena faithful, too, having not lost to their South Jeolla counterparts since May 2019 - 12 meetings ago. 

Daejeon have are on a run of six unbeaten with three wins heading into Wednesday's encounter and so will be feeling confident. Masatoshi Ishida, too, is returning to form in front of goal. Earning himself the nickname of 'Autumn Masa' for his recent tendency to score more as the leaves begin to change colour, the Japanese has three goals in his last two matches. As too Willyan, who had previously gone over a month without a goal, scored one and assisted one in the 2-2 draw with former employers Gwangju FC last time out. 

Jeonnam, meanwhile, sit 10th in the table and have little more than pride left to play for. Sitting just one point clear of Busan IPark, a defeat for the Dragons could open the door for a late fight to avoid the K League 2 wooden spoon. Jeonnam managed to end their 20-match win-less won by overcoming Ansan Greeners in a 7-1 victory four matches ago but haven't won since. 

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#CAFCvSEFC: Chungnam Asan vs Seoul E-Land - 19:30

The slightly later kick-off on Wednesday night has huge playoff implications. Chungnam Asan in seventh take on Seoul E-Land in sixth locked on 48 points. A win for either side, then, would take them within two points of fifth place Gyeongnam FC with two matches to go. The last playoff place has been hotly contested of late with Seoul E-Land joining the race. Chung Jung-yong's men have lost just one in eight with six wins, including two on the spin. Chungnam Asan, on the other hand, were sat in fifth place - the final playoff spot - as recently as Round 31. Park Dong-hyuk's men had even sat as high as fourth for rounds 20 and 21 and spent the next 11 in fifth before dropping out of the playoff places. The Owls are now on a run of five without a win with three losses and so will be keen to get back on track. 

What lies ahead is the prospect of a first playoff campaign since 2015 for Seoul E-Land and a first-ever for Chungnam Asan. The Owls will be looking to improve their chance conversion rate as they have the biggest discrepancy in the division in terms of actual goals scored compared to their expected goals ratio (xG) of -15.84. Seoul E-Land are second at 12.9 goals fewer than their xG. However, for the Leopards, in Argentine striker Felipe Cadenazzi they have one of the most accurate strikers in the division with 50% of all his attempts on goal finding the target. Cadanezzi sits fourth in that regard while Asan's leading marksman, Yoo Kang-hyun, sits ninth at 47.42% as he looks to pip Tiago Orobó to the golden boot.

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Paul Neat
Managing Editor