The final showdown begins. The door to the final round, which will mark the end of K League 1 in 2024, will open. Two worlds unfold.
In the Final A, which is fighting the Asian Champions League (ACLE, ACL2) ticket war with the championship, Ulsan HD (61 points), Gimcheon Sangmu (56 points), Gangwon FC (55 points), Pohang Steelers (51 points), FC Seoul (50 points), and Suwon FC (49 points) were located. In Final B, the “survival battlefield,” starting with Gwangju FC (43 points), Jeju United (41 points), Daegu FC (38 points), Jeonbuk Hyundai (37 points), Daejeon Hana Citizen (35 points), and Incheon United (32 points) were placed. The lowest 12th place will be directly demoted to the second division, while the 10th and 11th places will be decided whether to remain through the promotion and playoffs (PO).
Each team will play five matches each. Chances are high that the winner will be determined in the first round of the finals. First-ranked Ulsan and second-ranked Gimcheon will clash at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Gimcheon Sports Complex. The gap between the two teams is five points. Ulsan wins, widening the gap to eight points. The K-League’s third consecutive championship, which is the “beginning of the dynasty,” will be in the countdown. On the other hand, if Gimcheon defeats Ulsan, it will be shrouded in a fog where the fate of the championship is unknown until the end.
The two teams met three times this season. Ulsan is dominant with two wins and one draw. It is its first “return match” in two weeks. Ulsan had a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Gimcheon in the last round on June 6. “The match against Gimcheon is a watershed. The opponent team has good energy and strong teamwork. We played a tough match once. We also exposed our weaknesses. We will definitely win and make sure to lay the foundation on our way to victory.” Gimcheon has been promoted to the first division this season, making a big difference. “I feel comfortable that fans have done everything they have to do this year. All four teams except Ulsan will cheer for us. Coach Kim Pan-gon is leading the soccer match, and we will try to bring the results only on that day,” the team said.
The third-place team, Gangwon Province, will play its first game in the finals. The team will invite Seoul home at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Seoul was particularly strong against Gangwon. It has two wins and one draw this season. Gangwon can catch up with Ulsan only when it penetrates the “curse.” The first challenge for Seoul is to return to the Asian stage. “We have weaknesses in Seoul. The match against Seoul is the most important. We have to win because it is a match at home. It will be a good opportunity for us to write history,” Gangwon coach Yoon Ki-dong said. “The final will end with five games. I think it’s important to have an early upturn. Since we were strong against Gangwon, if we catch it, we will be able to play the rest of the game in a good mood,” Bae Soo-jin said. Pohang, who has a long way to go, and Suwon FC, which hid their claws, will have a match at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. 메이저사이트
Final B, which must survive, is even more desperate. Gwangju and Daegu will play at the Gwangju Football Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday for the first time. The remaining Maginot Line without promotion and PO is ninth. The difference between Gwangju at the seventh place and Daegu at the ninth place is five points. The difference is six points with Jeonbuk at the 10th place. Gwangju also does not feel at ease. Jeonbuk will invite Daejeon to its “Jeonju Castle” at 2 p.m. on Sunday. On the same day, Inch eon and Jeju will meet at the Incheon Football Stadium at 4:30 p.m.
Daegu, Jeonbuk and Daejeon are struggling to secure between three points. Jeju is within the range of Daegu. Incheon, which is at the bottom of the list, is dreaming of a “survival king” once again, three points behind Daejeon. Every game is an end-game with six points.