Ulsan HD of the K-League 1 has only one win left until its third consecutive league victory. Gangwon FC, which was strong at home, will be invited to the home turf to try to win the title early.
Ulsan will play a 36th round home game between Gangwon and Hana Bank K League 1 2024 Final A (top split) at 7:30 p.m. on the 31st at Ulsan Stadium.
As of Thursday, Ulsan has been leading the league with 19 wins, eight draws and eight losses (65 points) as of the end of Round 35. Gangwon ranks second in the league with 18 wins, seven draws and 10 losses (61 points).
If Ulsan wins, the difference between the two teams will be up to seven points. With only two games remaining this season, Ulsan will confirm its early victory.
If it beats Gangwon, it could become the third club in history to win three consecutive K-League titles after Seongnam Ilhwa (current Seongnam FC), which won three consecutive K-League titles twice from 1993 to 1995 and 2001 to 2003, and Jeonbuk Hyundai from 2017 to 2021.
Ulsan is advantageous in that it faces Gangwon at home.
This is because he has recently won 15 consecutive home games against Gangwon, and has an advantage with 2 wins and 1 loss in this season’s showdown.
Key resources such as gatekeeper Cho Hyun-woo and midfielder Ko Seung-beom have consistent performance, and in the East Coast Derby (2-0 Ulsan win) against the Pohang Steelers, which was just before the 27th, the main striker Joo Min-kyu even escaped the goal drought in three months.
However, Gangwon Province is not expected to collapse easily.
Coach Yoon Jeong-hwan, who took the helm of Gangwon Province in the middle of last year’s season, has properly formed a team since the winter season this year. Beyond the gust of wind, he is challenging himself to win the first championship in the history of K-League cities and provincial teams.
Gangwon has been undefeated (three wins and one draw) in its last four matches. Since its 1-1 draw with Daegu FC on April 28, it has been on the rise as it beat Incheon United (3-1), FC Seoul (1-0), and Gimcheon Sangmu (1-0).
In particular, his confidence is at its peak thanks to his record of winning the final round, which began against Seoul.
Yang Min-hyuk, who has grown into the league’s best wing as a high school student this season, focused on the upward curve as he even scored a goal in the previous game against Gimcheon.
There is a bad news that Kim Dong-hyun, a key waist resource, is uncertain to play in the match against Ulsan due to a thigh injury, but Yoon’s structured soccer is expected to minimize his weakness.
If Gangwon wins, the difference between the two teams will be reduced to one point.
Gangwon will meet Suwon FC (ranked sixth and away) and Pohang FC (ranked fifth and home) in the remaining schedule. Both teams are not easy opponents, but as they are currently in the lower part of Final A, Gangwon can expect to win. The final match will take place on home turf.
Gangwon has many fans filling the stadium thanks to its good performance this season, so it can maximize home advantage. 스포츠토토
In case of defeat, Ulsan, which will be a fugitive, will face FC Seoul (4th place, away from home) and Suwon FC (6th place, home) in turn.
The burden of the schedule is similar to that of Gangwon, but immediately after the match against Gangwon, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) Johor Darul Takjim (Malaysia) must be played on the 5th of next month.
With the burden of physical strength added, he will bear the burden of playing the rest of the league’s schedule.
As a result, Ulsan is expected to win early through this round, and Gangwon is expected to play a fiercer match than ever to aim for a miracle.