With only three games left in the regular season, the top and bottom of the K League have never fluctuated so much at the same time. Naturally, it is hard to predict the direction of the mid-tier teams.
Ulsan, which is eyeing its third consecutive win in the K-League 1, made an early soft landing under new coach Kim Pan-gon this summer and regained its lead (54 points) in the last 30 rounds by winning three consecutive league games. Notably, the team widened the gap to three by 2-0 up against second-ranked Gangwon FC (51 points).
Gangwon, which has continued to advance without knowing its defeat, has been winless in the last three consecutive games, including against Ulsan, as if it has become somewhat loose since the early confirmation of Final A.
Gimcheon Sangmu (50 points), the third-ranked player who succeeded in building wins in five games in the 30th round, chased Gangwon by one point.
Despite the absence of strikers, Suwon FC, which continued its upward trajectory by banking on its “middle-rider strategy,” is heavily shocked by the “Son Jun-ho risk.” Suwon FC’s contract was terminated as its flagship midfielder Son Joon-ho was still suspected of rigging matches during his time in the Chinese Super League. The team had a crushing defeat against Jeonbuk Hyundai in the 30th round, which was held in an atmosphere of instability. As the team has recorded one draw and one loss in the last two matches, the team is ranking fourth (48 points) in an unstable position. It is only two points behind FC Seoul (46 points) in the fifth place.
Pohang Steelers (44 points), which has taken the lead in the early stages, is mired in a six-game losing streak for the first time since its foundation. The team is in sixth place, the last place at the Final A, but there is no way to turn the tables. It is being chased by Yokohama Marinos in the previous round and Gwangju FC (40 points), which won a historic 7-3 victory in the Asian Champions League elite. The “fight for sixth place” is highly likely to continue through this season.
The lower ranks, which are feared to be demoted to the second division, are in limbo due to the reversal of Daejeon Hana Citizen (9th, 34th), Jeonbuk (10th), and Daegu FC (11th, 33 points). Daejeon has four wins and two draws in its recent six matches, gaining 14 points, the most among the 12 teams in the league. Jeonbuk and Daegu have scored 10 points each. 안전놀이터
Jeju United (35 points), which is ranking eighth with only two wins (four losses) in its recent six matches, is in a state of panic. Incheon United (31 points), which is the lowest ranking team in the group, is expected to see a rebound under the leadership of “firefighter” Choi Young-geun. It has also secured two wins (four losses) in its recent six matches.
At the end of round 33, the ranking table cannot be easily predicted. So far, the result has been that Gimcheon, Gangwon Province, has decided to go to the Final A, while Daejeon, North Jeolla Province, Daegu and Incheon have decided to go to the Final B.