2024 Hana Bank K League 2 Round 22 Preview.
Match of the Round
FC Anyang (1st) vs. Busan IPark (9th) - Sun. 14th July, 19:00
The league leaders FC Anyang host Busan IPark this Sunday in what will be the Royals' first game of the post-Park Jin-sub era. Park departed Busan having overseen a run of seven games without a win and having won just once at home this term. The Violets are in good form, though, sitting five points clear at the top of the table following a comprehensive 3-0 win over Cheonan City last time out. It was a night of many positives, including a debut goal for Japanese midfielder Teppei Yachida who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes. Brazilian forward Matheus Oliveira opened the scoring for his fifth goal of the season but first in three months.
Busan have placed Yoo Kyoung-ryeol in caretaker charge and will be looking for that 'new manager bounce.' The South Coast side sit ninth, five points away from the playoff spots so can ill afford to allow that gap to widen if they are keen on extending their season. While home wins have come at a premium, Busan tend to perform well on the road with five of their six wins this season having come away from home.
The two teams are among the more free-scoring outfits in K League 2 with Anyang having scored 31 times (4th) and Busan 27 (5th). Anyang tend to hit more shots from outside the area, sitting third in the league in that regard while Busan tend to have a go from corners, sitting joint second for goals from corners. Busan also have the highest expected goals value (xG) in the league at 31.54, Anyang's is much more modest at 23.35 despite having the league's best shooting accuracy at 43.8%. Busan's isn't too bad either at 40.1% (5th).
The first meeting of 2024 proved to be quite the spectacle with Anyang emerging as the victors in a 4-3 win, despite going 3-0 up to then being pegged back at 3-3 with five minutes to go.
Team of the Round
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (vs. Cheonan City, Sat. 13th July - 19:30)
With a glass-half-full mindset, Suwon Samsung Bluewings are on a run of five unbeaten. However, four of those matches have ended in draws - including the last two. New manager Byun Sung-hwan making incremental progress after seeing the Bluewings lose five on the bounce. The good news for the Bluewings faithful is that Suwon are only two points behind Seoul E-Land in the last playoff spot. The Bluewings have shown character in their last two matches to come behind from a goal down to earn 1-1 draws with Kim Ju-chan firing in a late leveller away to Jeonnam in Round 19 and Park Seung-soo cancelling out Kim Beom-su's opener for Ansan Greeners in their last outing. Up next for the Bluewings is Cheonan City away, a side that they lost to at home earlier in the campaign. Revenge could well be on the minds of the Bluewings players this Saturday.
Player of the Round
Bruno Silva, Seoul E-Land (vs. Seongnam FC, Sun, 14th July - 19:00)
Leading the K League 2 goal chart is Seoul E-Land striker Bruno Silva. The Brazilian has 10 to his name this term, and goals in tight games have helped the Leopards earn six points more - the difference between sitting fifth or, potentially, 10th. The 24-year-old has also scored braces in big Seoul E-Land wins - in a 5-0 win over Chungnam Asan, a 3-0 win over Ansan Greeners, and a 4-0 win over Cheonan City. It's no wonder, then, that Bruno Silva sits second in K League 2 for total shots (59), third per 90 (3.32), and 42.37% shooting accuracy ranks him second among all Seoul E-Land players. Up next is the visit of Seongnam FC, a side that Bruno Silva bagged a brace against earlier in the campaign.
K League 2 Table
K League 2 Round 22 Fixtures
Saturday 13th July
#JDFCvCAFC: Jeonnam Dragons (2nd) vs. Chungnam Asan (3rd) - 19:00
#CHFCvANS: Chungbuk Cheongju (8th) vs. Ansan Greeners (13th) - 19:30
#CCFCvSSB: Cheonan City (10th) vs. Suwon Samsung Bluewings (6th) - 19:30
Sunday 14th July
#SEFCvSFC: Seoul E-Land (5th) vs. Seongnam FC (12th) - 19:00
#ANYvBUS: FC Anyang (1st) vs. Busan IPark (9th) - 19:00
#BUCvGFC: Bucheon FC 1995 (7th) vs. Gimpo FC (4th) - 19:00
