The Upside-Down is complete: K League R31 Review
Promotion team and the two teams involved in the relegation playoffs make the top half, as well as FC Seoul for the first time since 2019.
Round 31 completed our top and bottom halves for the K League 2024 season.
The Title Challengers
Pohang Steelers, Suwon FC and FC Seoul confirmed their place in the top six, though the latter two were aided by Gwangju FC’s surprise 2-0 defeat at home to Jeju United. It marks the first top six finish for FC Seoul since 2019 and marks a major turnaround after enduring five straight home defeats in the league earlier this season. The capital club stumbled over the line to an extent that a title charge seems unlikely but if they can close the gap in the next two games there may still be a glimmer of hope and expect teams to take points off each other at the top. Suwon FC are another who not only stumbled but crawled over that line with two defeats in a row conceding ten goals in the process at home. Their return to the top half, after last season’s relegation playoff win against K2 Busan I’Park, is quite the triumph given the peculiar transfer business over the year and recent loss of Son Jun-ho. Gangwon FC echoes Suwon FC in their turnaround from last season, but their own title push is in doubt after a run of bad results, but perhaps a long sought after ACLE place will be a good consolation prize. Gimcheon Sangmu as the only promoted side has massively overacheived given the nature of their team needing to make two teams during the season. On the East Coast Pohang Steelers will breathe a sigh of relief after ending their record 6 straight defeats in the league and can now concentrate on the ACLE and cup final. Ulsan HD as you would expect are top of the league but they’ve had to fight their way back there and their heavy schedule is sure to affect their performances in the remaining seven league games.
The Race to Avoid the Despair of Relegation
Gwangju FC were the only question mark for this pool of teams. Their home game played on an awful pitch in pouring rain against Jeju United condemned them to the bottom half and their safety is far from confirmed. Jeju were the big winners from the weekend as they continue this incredible knack of winning to nil. Both teams will still be looking over their shoulders as the league in form teams in Daejeon and Jeonbuk continue to amass points. Daejeon made it seven games undefeated, while Jeonbuk kept their 4th straight clean sheet, not bad for the league’s leakiest defence. Daegu’s position remains precarious while Incheon’s point against Ulsan HD will be well received but did nothing to close the gap on their rivals. We are in for one of the biggest relegation battles in K League history, it’s hard to imagine one of the bottom four being relegated unless they can drag a Jeju United or Gwangju FC down from 7th and 8th.
Goal of the Round
Cesinha (Daegu FC) 98th minute rocket equalised with close to the last kick of the game and what a kick. FC Seoul’s goalscorer, Iljutchenko, was wise to duck out of the way. Could be a crucial goal in his side’s battle against relegation
Player of the Round
Lee Dong-gyeong scored his 10th goal of the season and also grabbed his 7th Assist of the season to put away Suwon FC in an impressive 4-2 win for Gimcheon who moved to 2nd. Lee played his best game in a Gimcheon shirt to date and his lovely cushioned header back across goal for the team’s 4th sealed an impressive win for the army team.
Match of the Round
Suwon FC 2-4 Gimcheon
Very one-sided game with Gimcheon continuing their resurgence. Suwon’s two goals were quite fortuitious with the army’s keeper Kim Dong-heon at fault for both. Lee Dong-gyeong ran the show but Suwon were badly exposed at the back with defending set pieces a real concern as the team seem bereft of confidence
MOM Masterclass from Lee Dong-gyeong
UP NEXT Suwon face FC Seoul away while Gimcheon are at home to Gwangju
Daegu FC 1-1 FC Seoul
Always a bit of a cat and mouse game here. It was very much the old Daegu on show here with a low defensive block and relying on a Cesinha screamer for the point. Credit referees for using VAR to make the right decision for Iljutchenko’s initially disallowed goal. FC Seoul the slightly better team here with the highlights being Yoshino and Willyan’s long range efforts crashing off the woodwork
MOM Caio (Daegu FC)
UP NEXT Daegu are away at Gangwon while FC Seoul host Suwon FC
Daejeon Hana Citizen 0-0 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
An end of season stalemate between two teams fighting relegation. Kim Hyeon-wook hitting the bar from a 25 yard free kick and Hernandes missing an open net after rounding Lee Chang-geun who had misjudged his timing, the highlights. A late dubious red card for Gutkovskis and a yellow card for Kim Tae-hyun’s challenge that injured Kim Jun-beom displeased the home fans.
MOM Kim Jun-beom (Daejeon)
UP NEXT Daejeon are at home to league leaders Ulsan on Friday while Jeonbuk host Jeju on Saturday
Incheon United 0-0 Ulsan HD
Incheon will probably be the happier of the two to get a point and keep their recent good record against the champions Ulsan. A correctly reversed Ulsan penalty bright on half-time was the crucial moment in the match
MOM Jung Dong-yun (Incheon United)
UP NEXT Incheon travel to Pohang on Friday with Ulsan playing the same night away in Daejeon
Pohang Steelers 2-1 Gangwon FC
Two goals but only one shot on target means Pohang end their losing run. Gangwon FC went behind early to an own goal, but thought their late equaliser from Yang Min-hyuk was enough for a share of the spoils. Yang had perfectly timed his run to meet Lee You-hyun’s cross in added time but immediately conceding to in form Jorge means it’s 4 games without a win for Gangwon.
MOM Yun Pyeong-gook (Pohang Steelers)
UP NEXT Pohang host Incheon on Friday while Gangwon are at home to Daegu on Saturday
Gwangju FC 0-2 Jeju United
Jeju got themselves out of a whole with a dogged and whole-hearted victory over a tired looking Gwangju on a mud bath of a pitch. Kaina and then Seo Jin-seo sealed the win, after a Jung Ho-yeon error, for the islanders. Jung had cramped badly at the end of the Yokohama game on Tuesday and playing him 90+ minutes here in the mud no doubt contributed to that mistake as the quest to balance ACLE and the league just became a lot harder with a bottom half finish.
MOM An Tae-hyun (Jeju United)
UP NEXT Gwangju travel to the army side while Jeju are away at Jeonbuk