K League 1 clubs, which are trying to strengthen their power through the summer transfer market, will enter the full-fledged ranking competition again after completing the “All-Star Game Break.”
The most noticeable point of view in the 26th round of Hana Bank’s K League 1 2024, which will take place from the 9th to the 12th, is whether Ulsan HD, which appointed Kim Pan-gon as a new head coach, will turn around.
No. 4 Ulsan (42 points) will play a home game against No. 10 Daegu FC (24 points) at Ulsan Munsu Stadium at 7 p.m. on the 10th.
Ulsan began to appoint a successor as Hong Myung-bo took over as the head coach of the national soccer team, and Kim Pan-gon, who led the Malaysian national team, took the helm on the 28th of last month.
Coach Kim Pan-gon emphasized “offensive defense” at an inauguration press conference on the 5th, signaling a turnaround.
Coach Kim, who will make his “Ulsan head coach’s debut” against Daegu, has a difficult task of raising the team’s atmosphere, which has recently lost two consecutive games, along with his “debut victory.”
Ulsan has shown sluggish performance with one win, one draw and four losses in six matches it played in July. It suffered two consecutive losses in the 24th and 25th rounds.
In five games, he gave up three points and seven goals, destroying the balance of offense and defense, and his ranking fell to fourth place, the lowest of this season.
Ulsan is determined to focus its efforts on winning Kim Pan-gon’s debut match against Daegu and escaping its second consecutive defeat, as it has started to strengthen its power by recruiting Arabidze, a “second-line striker resource” from Georgia.
To counter this, Daegu is in a bad situation. It has had no victories in seven consecutive games (four draws and three losses), including only four draws and one loss in five matches it played in July. The team’s back has collapsed to the extent that it conceded 10 goals in the last seven games.
Daegu is counting on midfielder Lee Chan-dong, who was recently recruited, as well as Brazilian defender Cao, who was brought from Hwaseong FC (K3 League).
In particular, Daegu is only three points apart from the lowest-ranked Daejeon Hana Citizen (21 points), so escaping from the relegation zone is a hot spot.
Meanwhile, attention is also being paid to the confrontation between the leading Kimcheon Sangmu and the second-ranked Gangwon FC for the “leading spot” at 7:30 p.m. on the 9th at Gimcheon Sports Complex.
Gimcheon, which leads with 46 points, is in the lead with Gangwon (44 points) in the second round of points.
Gangwon has the same point as the third-place Pohang Steelers (44 points), but is ranked second by leading in multiple points.
Above all, Gangwon’s rise is surprising. 안전놀이터
Gangwon elevated its ranking with three wins, one draw and one loss in the five games it played in July.
“18-year-old striker” Yang Min-hyuk received the “Young Player of the Month Award” in July, and coach Yoon Jung-hwan was also selected as the “Director of July.”
If they beat Gimcheon in this showdown, Gangwon will jump back to the lead.
Gimcheon’s performance was somewhat better in July, going back and forth between winning and losing. It had more than half a stroke with two wins, one draw and two losses, but as it has maintained its lead position, it is committed to beating Gangwon and securing its second consecutive win to solidify its lead.