The 2024 Hana Bank K League Promotion-Relegation Playoffs get underway this Thursday with Chungnam Asan versus Daegu FC. For Chungnam Asan, it's a reward for finishing second in K League 2, while for Daegu the tie serves as an opportunity to remain in K League 1 after finishing 11th in the regular season.
Overview & Match Information
Fixture: Chungnam Asan (KL2) vs. Daegu FC (KL1)
Competition: 2024 Hana Bank K League Promotion-Relegation Playoff 1
Venue: Cheonan Sports Complex
Date: Thursday 28th November 2024, 19:00 KST
Streaming:
K League TV
The stakes couldn't be higher in this first-ever meeting between Chungnam Asan and Daegu FC. The first of two encounters sees the Owls take on the Sky Blues in Cheonan this Thursday looking for some sort of advantage to take into Sunday's second leg in Daegu. Chungnam Asan qualified for Promotion-Relegation Playoff 1 after finishing second in K League 2, while Daegu finished second-bottom of K League 1.
It's Chungnam Asan's first involvement in the playoffs and comes following the club's best-ever finish to a season. Daegu, meanwhile, have been back in K League 1 since 2017 and have featured in the playoffs just once, back in 2015. A 3-3 draw with Seoul E-Land was enough to advance to the next round but a 2-1 loss to Suwon FC meant promotion would have to wait for another year.
Recent Form
Chungnam Asan ended the season with a 4-1 away win over Chungbuk Cheongju, making four wins in their last six and just two losses in 11. Kim Hyun-seok's men went into the final day of the season needing a win to leapfrog Seoul E-Land in the table. Making the Owls' end-of-season form all the more impressive is the fact that they played the last six games of the season away from home due to turf management work at Yi Sunshin Stadium.
Daegu FC ended the 2024 K League 1 season with back-to-back losses, both by the same 3-1 scoreline, to make it five matches without a win throughout Final B. Daegu's last win was in Round 33 at home to Jeonbuk, coming back from behind to win 4-3. Park Chang-hyun's men are looking for a first away win in five.
Playoff History
Now in their 10th year, in the total 12 ties between a K League 2 and a K League 1 team (no promotion-relegation playoff in 2020), the side that won the first leg has gone on to win the tie overall on six occasions. On four occasions this was the K League 2 team - Sangju in 2013, Gwangju in 2014, Suwon FC in 2015, and Daejeon in 2022. Only two teams have won both legs, those being Suwon FC in 2015 and Daejeon in 2022. Only on one occasion has the K League 2 team won the first leg and gone on to lose the tie, that being Daejeon in 2021 with Gangwon roaring back to overturn a one-goal deficit to win the second leg 4-1.
The first three years of the playoffs saw the K League 2 team win the first leg and then go on to win promotion, the first four saw the K League 2 team win promotion with Seongnam going up on the now-scrapped away goals rule in 2016. In 2017 and 2018 the K League 1 teams were able to avoid relegation (Sangju and FC Seoul), bringing an end to the second-tier team dominance. Busan made sure it wasn't a third year in a row of this happening when overcoming Gyeongnam. In the last two seasons, three out of the four K League 1 teams have survived. Overall, six K League 2 teams have been promoted and six K League 1 teams have survived. Only two out of the last eight ties have seen a side promoted to K League 1. The overall first-leg record is six wins for K League 2 teams, two for K League 1 and four draws.
Moving from back to front quickly
Chungnam Asan were second-top scorers in the regular season with an impressive 61 goals scored. A total of 424 shots ranks them fifth in K League 1, from the fourth-highest xG of 51.33. Asan have been able to score goals by getting into the box a lot, and in part by ranking third in K League 2 for touches in the box with 607. Asan have accumulated 50.5% possession this season but tend to be quick with the ball, having recorded the joint-fourth lowest passes per minute of possession. The Owls like to get the ball forward quickly and assert themselves in and around the penalty area. A similar route to goal on Thursday may well stand them in good stead.
Daegu, meanwhile, are a bit more direct and like to hit teams on the counter, with a counterattack-with-shots rate of 44.9%. Park Chang-hyun's men rank fifth for progressive passes, showing their desire to move the ball forward quickly. Daegu are also fourth for shots from outside the area with Cesinha leading the team in that regard. The Sky Blues also like to get a lot of crosses into the six-yard box and rank fourth in that regard and sixth for total crosses. Daegu are joint fourth for goals from headers with seven. A more direct route to goal will be something for Chungnam Asan to contend with on Thursday.
Who to Watch
Juninho Rocha, Chungnam Asan
Juninho Rocha has enjoyed an excellent first season with Chungnam Asan and second in K League having joined the Owls from Gimpo FC over the winter. The Brazilian has netted 12 goals this season and laid on eight assists in 36 appearances, for a goal contribution rate of 0.55 per 90, and an xGA of 19.59. The 27-year-old is first in K League 2 for touches in the box with 120 and third for deep completions with 50. Naturally, Juninho Rocha is a nominee for K League 2 MVP and will be a player for Daegu to keep tabs on this Thursday. He usually operates from the right wing.
Hwang Jae-won, Daegu FC
Daegu FC's young wingback Hwang Jae-won has been nominated for the K League 1 Best XI having been a key part of the Sky Blues' team again this year. Hwang has made 31 appearances in 2024, scoring two and assisting two. The 2023 Asian Games gold medalist ranks sixth in K League 1 for total crosses with 100 and first for accuracy with 53%. In addition, with 84 one-on-one dribbles, he ranks fourth in K League 1 among all full backs. Hwang can operate as a central midfielder too, and has been deployed more centrally in a midfield four this season due to his passing ability and vision. Wherever he's deployed on Thursday, Chungnam Asan will have to be wary of the threat he poses.
