Match of the Round
Suwon Samsung Bluewings vs. Seoul E-Land
Seoul E-Land make the short trip to the Big Bird this weekend as they take on Suwon Samsung Bluewings, a reverse of their Round 3 encounter and a repeat of their Korea Cup clash, both played earlier in March this year. The Leopards delivered a convincing 4-2 victory on home soil but went crashing out of the cup in Suwon, losing 2-1 to the Bluewings.
Suwon will be looking to further cement their place in playoff contention on Sunday evening, while Seoul E-Land will be hoping to turn around a patch of poor fortune that has seen them eight matches winless and a slide down the table out of the playoff possitions. An overdue win could see them back in but with an in-form Suwon boasting two of the divisions top scorers in Kim Ji-hyeon and Stansilav Iljutcenko, each with nine goals apiece, things are likely to prove difficult for Kim Do-kyun's side.
Team of the Round
Bucheon FC 1995
Bucheon FC 1995 are the team to keep your eyes on this weekend as they play host to fellow playoff contenders Busan IPark on Saturday. Bucheon enter this fixture in scintillating form, averaging an impressive 2.67 points per game over their last six and boasting the league’s best recent performance. Having just convincingly overcom Chungnam Asan 5–3 last round, their attack looks in fine shape as they threaten to climb even higher in the standings. Meanwhile, Busan have not tasted victory in five straight league matches, making them vulnerable opponents for the home side.
Player of the Round
Park Ju-yeong (Hwaseong FC)
22 Year-old Forward Park Ju-yeong has been instrumental in Hwaseong’s recent climb up the table, scoring in Hwaseong’s most recent outing and assisting two in the game before to play a key role in their back-to-back victories. His composure in the final third have added real bite to a side that struggled early in the season. With Gyeongnam and Cheonan slipping, Hwaseong now have a chance to break into mid-table. Facing a leaky Chungnam Asan defense that just conceded five goals, the stage is set for Park to make another decisive contribution. Park may not top the scoring charts, but his timing and impact have made him one of the most influential players in the league in recent rounds.
K League 2 Round 22 Fixtures
Saturday, July 26th
Cheonan City (14th) vs. Gyeongnam FC (13th) – 19:00
Busan IPark (5th) vs. Bucheon FC 1995 (3rd) – 19:00
Chungbuk Cheongju (11th) vs. Gimpo FC (7th) – 19:00
Chungnam Asan (9th) vs. Hwaseong FC (10th) – 19:00
Sunday, July 27th
Incheon United (1st) vs. Ansan Greeners (12th) – 19:00
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (2nd) vs. Seoul E-Land (6th) – 19:00
Seongnam FC (8th) vs. Jeonnam Dragons (4th) – 19:00
