The final round of midweek K League 2 fixtures of 2023 sees Cheonan City take on Bucheon FC 1995 in a clash between two of the division's in-form teams, Jeonnam Dragons take on Chungnam Asan looking to keep their playoff hopes alive, while Jorge Luiz and Chungbuk Cheongju take on Seoul E-Land looking for a third win over the Leopards for the Lions this term.
Match of the Round
Cheonan City (13th) vs Bucheon FC 1995 (3rd), Wed. 20th September - 19:30
Cheonan City on Saturday picked up their second win of the season and second since making the jump up to K League. It came in a 3-0 away win over Seoul E-Land, meaning it was a first win and cleansheet in K League 2 and first away win. The win also means that, with 28 games played, Cheonan have more points than Goyang Zaicro did at the same point in 2016. Three more points from Cheonan's last eight matches would mean that Park Nam-yeol's men won't finish the season on the lowest points total ever in K League 2. It also means that Ansan Greeners are just four points above them.
Bucheon FC 1995, meanwhile, sit third in K League 2 despite the 0-0 draw with Gimpo FC last time out. The draw extended their unbeaten run to six, and means Lee Young-min's men sit just three points behind Gimcheon in second and have a six-point cushion above playoff-chasing Chunbuk Cheongju.
Cheonan will be looking to their Brazilian stars to guide them to victory again with Bruno Mota and Paulo both on the scoresheet against Seoul E-Land. For Mota, it was his eighth of the campaign and third for Paulo. Bucheon's top scorer An Jae-jun is away with Korea's Asian Games squad, and so it will be up to the likes of Lee Eui-hyeong, Nilson Junior, Lee Jeong-bin, and Kim Sun-ho - the Hermes' other players with three goals or more, to fire them back to winning ways.
The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw, Gabriel Ramos' 21st-minute strike was cancelled out late on by Yoon Yong-ho to earn Cheonan their second K League point back in June. The first meeting of the season, though, ended in a 3-0 Bucheon win.
Team of the Round
Jeonnam Dragons (vs. Chungnam Asan, Wed. 20th September - 19:30)
Jeonnam Dragons kept their playoff hopes alive on Sunday with a 3-2 win over Gyeongnam FC. It proved to be something of a five-goal thriller, too, with both teams scoring beyond the 90 minutes. Lee Yong-jae's proved to be the winner on 96 minutes but Mo Jae-hyeon's one minute later ensured a nervy end to proceedings. The victory and subsequent three points keep the Dragons in the hunt for the playoffs with Gyeongnam in fifth now just four points ahead. For Lee Yong-jae it was his first goal for Jeonnam since making the move from Incheon in the winter. Same too for Yoo Ji-ha who bagged a brace and is now off the mark in K League for the Dragons. Up next for Jeonnam is Chungnam Asan away on Wednesday.
Player of the Round
Jorge Luiz, Chungbuk Cheongju (vs. Seoul E-Land, Tue. 19th September - 19:30)
Another goal for Jorge Luiz on Saturday moved the Brazilian star onto 11 for the campaign. It also earned Chungbuk Cheongju three valuable points and moved the Lions up a place in the tale into sixth, now just two points behind the playoffs. It was his fourth match-winning goal of the season, in what is just his first at K League level. For Chungbuk Cheongju, the win was their third in five matches sixth in 10, and extends the unbeaten run to 14. Up next for Jorge Luiz and Chungbuk Cheongju is the visit of Seoul E-Land on Tuesday, a side that will be looking to bounce back from the 3-0 loss to Cheonan City at the weekend. Jorge Luiz has scored three in two matches against the Leopards so far this season and so will be confident of adding to his tally.
K League 2 Table
K League 2 Round 32 Fixtures
Tuesday 19th September
#BUSvANS: Busan IPark (1st) vs Ansan Greeners (12th) - 19:00
#SFCvGIM: Seongnam FC (9th) vs Gimcheon Sangmu (2nd) - 19:30
#CHFCvSEFC: Chungbuk Cheongju (6th) vs Seoul E-Land (11th) - 19:30
Wednesday 20th September
#ANYvGYE: FC Anyang (7th) vs Gyeongnam FC (5th) - 19:00
#CAFCvJDFC: Chungnam Asan (10th) vs Jeonnam Dragons (8th) - 19:30
#CCFCvBUC: Cheonan City (13th) vs Bucheon FC 1995 (3rd) - 19:30
Where to Watch
