Seoul Could Clinch First Title in 10 Years This Weekend
K League 1 leaders FC Seoul could wrap up the title at home as early as this weekend. Seoul host Gimcheon Sangmu in Round 32 at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on October 18. With 65 points, they lead second-place Ulsan HD (47) by 18, so if Ulsan draw or lose to Bucheon FC 1995 on the 17th and Seoul beat Gimcheon, Seoul will clinch their seventh league title and first since 2016. Seoul have scored a league-high 58 goals and conceded a league-low 26 in 31 matches, with Klimala leading the attack on 14 goals. They have not left the top spot since March 22, and if it doesn’t happen this week, they get another chance at home against Gangwon FC on the 24th.
Source: Ilgan Sports
Daejeon Eye a Second Straight Final A Berth
Sixth-placed Daejeon Hana Citizen (43 points) host bottom side Gwangju FC in Round 32 at Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on October 18. Daejeon are unbeaten in five league matches, and in the previous round they came from behind to beat Jeonbuk Hyundai 2-1, their first home win over Jeonbuk in 18 years, since 2008. In Asia, they beat Kyoto Sanga 1-0 in their first ACL Elite league-stage match for their first win on the continental stage in 23 years, then drew 1-1 away in Shanghai thanks to an equalizer from Diogo. Daejeon won both meetings with Gwangju this season, 5-0 and 2-0. A win would put them in a strong position to reach Final A for a second straight season.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Anyang Face a Pivotal Test for a First-Ever Final A
Eighth-placed FC Anyang (41 points) visit ninth-placed Pohang Steelers (40) at Pohang Steel Yard on October 18 in Round 32. Just two points behind sixth-placed Daejeon (43), the cutoff for Final A, Anyang see this match as the biggest turning point in their bid to reach Final A for the first time in club history. Anyang have won two in a row, beating Ulsan HD 2-1 before the international break and then Gimcheon Sangmu on the 10th. In August, general manager Lee Woo-hyung and head coach Yoo Byung-hoon both offered to resign, but they stayed on after fans urged them to and a meeting with the club owner, and on the 29th of last month Yoo signed a new deal through 2029. Anyang close the regular rounds against Jeonbuk Hyundai on the 24th.
Source: Sports Kyunghyang
Jeonbuk at a Crossroads in Final A Race
Fifth-placed Jeonbuk Hyundai (44 points) host fourth-placed Jeju SK in Round 32 this weekend. Jeonbuk have managed just one win, two draws and three defeats in their last six competitive matches. After a comeback loss to Daejeon, they fell 2-0 away to Vissel Kobe in the ACL Elite on the 14th despite hitting the woodwork twice, their second straight defeat. With Daejeon (43), Incheon United (42) and FC Anyang (41) close behind in sixth through eighth, Jeonbuk would drop to seventh, a Final B spot, if they lose to Jeju while Daejeon beat Gwangju FC and Incheon beat Gangwon FC. They sit three points behind second-placed Ulsan HD (47). Jeonbuk lost 3-1 to Jeju when the sides met in August.
Source: Sports Seoul