Just before the international break, Round 29 of the 2023 Hana 1Q K League 1 season sees practically every team in the division vying for something. The competition for Final A positions is reaching a fever pitch, with four places in the top half certainly still up for grabs, while those towards the bottom will be seeking to build momentum ahead of their final few fixtures in the regular portion of the campaign.
Match of the Round
Ulsan Hyundai (1st) vs Gwangju FC (3rd) - Sun. 3rd September - 16:30
Sunday sees a clash between first and third, as Ulsan Hyundai host Gwangju FC. The league leaders aren't in their best moment, with two wins across their last seven, compared to three defeats. They'll come into the weekend on the back of a 2-2 draw with FC Seoul, where Willyan equalised for the capital city side in the 96th minute.
As for Gwangju, they are unbeaten in eight, so enter this match as the in-form team. This recent strong run has lifted the Griffins up to third, eight points behind Pohang Steelers in second. Last time out, Gwangju defeated Suwon Samsung Bluewings 4-0, meaning they've enjoyed two consecutive clean sheets on home soil for the first time since April.
This fixture typically favours Ulsan, who have won in their last six meetings with Gwangju and only lost once to the Griffins overall (a 1-0 home defeat in July 2015). Nevertheless, Lee Jung-hyo's men are on a run of eight without defeat on the road, so could well have confidence in getting a positive result this Sunday.
Team of the Round
Incheon United (vs. Pohang Steelers, Sat. 2nd September - 19:00)
With just two losses in their last 16 games, it's fair to say Incheon United have completely turned their season around after an initial slow start. A dramatic 97th-minute Oh Ban-suk header gave Jo Sung-hwan's men all three points against Suwon FC last Friday, putting them within two points of third in the process.
This week, Incheon are up against Pohang Steelers, who are going steady in second. They're unbeaten in seven (four draws, three wins), and look like they'll secure an AFC Champions League qualification spot come the end of the season, barring any major hiccups. In both clashes between these two teams this season, it has been the away side who have emerged victorious.
Player of the Round
Tiago Orobó, Daejeon Hana Citizen (vs. Suwon FC, Fri. 1st September - 19:00)
With six goals in his last three appearances, Tiago Orobó has been Daejeon's key man as of late. The Brazilian forward now averages a goal every two games and is outperforming his xG by 3.63. Such high-performance levels from the league's joint top-scorer may be vital in pushing Daejeon towards the top half between now and the end of the season, given they are still within touching distance of Incheon in sixth. Up next for Orobó and co. is 10th-placed Suwon FC, the team with the leakiest defence in the division (57 goals conceded in 28 games). Tiago scored two against Suwon in a 5-3 loss back in March, a game which saw the Purples 2-0 and 3-1 up.
Elsewhere in K League 1 Round 29
After ending their six-game winless run against Jeju last week, Daegu FC now turn their attention to Gangwon FC. The Sky Blues, now in seventh, are certainly firmly in the conversation for a Final A finish should they build on their victory last time out, whilst their opponents remain bottom of the table following a 1-1 home draw to Pohang Steelers. The Bears are this year's draw specialists, with 12 stalemates across their 28 games, which perhaps makes it unsurprising that both meetings between these two sides this campaign have seen the points shared.
While this year's third Super Match mightn’t appear to carry massively high stakes on the surface, Saturday's meeting between Suwon Samsung Bluewings and FC Seoul could help shape either side's end to the campaign. The hosts will want to bounce back following their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Gwangju, whereas the visitors should have confidence they can solidify their top-half standing on the back of a good performance against Ulsan last weekend. This season, FC Seoul have won in both Super Matches, but you'd have to go back to 2014 to find the last time the capital city club were victorious thrice in one season against the Bluewings.
To end the weekend, Jeju United host Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Neither side are in solid form here, with both managing only one win in their last five, but the Islanders have lost their last four against the Green Warriors. As such, Dan Petrescu could see this as an ideal fixture to get his Jeonbuk side back on the right track.
K League 1 Round 29 Fixtures
Friday 1st September
#DHFCvSUW: Daejeon Hana Citizen (8th) vs Suwon FC (10th) - 19:00 #DAEvGAN: Daegu FC (7th) vs Gangwon FC (12th) - 19:30
Saturday 2nd September
#SuperMatch: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (11th) vs FC Seoul (5th) - 16:30
#INCvPOH: Incheon United (6th) vs Pohang Steelers (2nd) - 19:00
Sunday 3rd September
#ULSvGWA: Ulsan Hyundai (1st) vs Gwangju FC (3rd) - 16:30
#JEJvJEO: Jeju United (9th) vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (4th) - 19:00
