Last year, the two leaders who drove the storm in Chungnam Asan will meet as rivals.

□ Match of the round: yesterday's allies, today's foes 'Chungnam Asan VS Jeonnam'

Last season, Chungnam Asan achieved an impressive performance of 2nd place in K League 2 under Head Coach Kim Hyun-seok and Chief Coach Bae Sung-jae. This season, Head Coach Kim Hyun-seok has returned as the manager of Jeonnam, the opposing team of Chungnam Asan, while Chief Coach Bae Sung-jae has become the new head coach of Chungnam Asan. The match between Chungnam Asan and Jeonnam, where yesterday’s allies are today’s foes, will take place in this round.

The home team, Chungnam Asan, has recorded 1 win and 3 draws in its last four matches. While it is positive that there are no losses, there are significant concerns when looking at the matches. In the last 5th round against Seongnam, despite a numerical advantage due to the opponent's red card early in the second half, they ended up in a 1-1 draw, and in the previous 7th round against Gimpo, they let go of a victory they had secured due to a late conceding goal.

However, in this match, it was hopeful that they scored through set pieces, which was a strong point last season. Additionally, there is noticeable stability in defense. In the match against Gimpo, even though Jo Ju-young and Lee Eun-beom are not professional center-backs, they gained the upper hand in several competitive situations, and Jeong Ma-ho solidified Chungnam Asan's back line, moving between defense and midfield. As Denison scored his first goal of the season, if players like Adam, Misaki, and Gang Min-gyu can also deliver, it seems that opportunities will arise in the attack.

In response, Jeonnam has been continuing to play away games after the season's start. This is due to the grass replacement work at their home stadium, meaning they will not play their first home game until the 11th of next month. Despite embarking on long away journeys for every match, Jeonnam is currently in 4th place, trailing the leaders Incheon by just 2 points.

The background of Jeonnam's good performance in the early season is due to the efforts of Albert. Since transferring to Jeonnam this year, Albert has been playing full-time in every game. He could easily get tired, but he has established himself as a core player in Jeonnam's midfield based on his unique vigorous activity level. In the recent 7th round against Hwaseong, he scored his first K League goal with a sensational shot and made 8 passes aimed at the attacking line during this game, injecting energy into the team’s offense each match. This is why Jeonnam's performance has not fluctuated greatly even in the absence of Valdivia due to injury. With the presence of Jeong Gang-min, who is doing well, and Honan, who made his first start and scored his first goal in the Hwaseong match, the team is showing signs of being on the right track.

Last season, Head Coach Kim Hyun-seok and Chief Coach Bae Sung-jae, who wrote a new history at Chungnam Asan, will face off for the first time this season. The match between Chungnam Asan and Jeonnam will take place on the 20th at the Lee Soon-shin Sports Complex.

□ Team of the round: the only undefeated streak 'Seongnam'

Seongnam finished last season at the bottom of K League 2, damaging their pride, but this season has shown a significantly improved appearance. Currently, with 4 wins and 3 draws, they are in 2nd place and are the only team among the 26 teams in K League 1 and 2 maintaining an undefeated record.

Seongnam is competing at the top with candidates for promotion such as Incheon, Seoul E-Land, and Jeonnam, and their most significant characteristic is stability. Seongnam boasts a watertight defense, allowing only three goals in seven matches. Benecio, who transferred from Chungbuk Cheongju this year, has quickly become a key figure in defense, and Kang Ki-bin has steadily filled in the position left by Kim Joo-won, who is out due to injury. Additionally, in midfield, Samuel and in the attack, Hooiz have been delivering their roles efficiently, and Kim Beom-soo, who joined on loan this year, has quickly adapted and scored two goals early on.

Apart from the opening match against Hwaseong, where they won 2-0, Seongnam has had many draws or wins by a single goal, thanks to the solid nature of their midfield and defense. In the recent 7th round against Gyeongnam, although Gyeongnam recorded 15 shots, six times they were blocked by Seongnam's defense, and only two shots on target were allowed. In contrast, Seongnam managed to make 3 of their 7 shots on target, with one shot from Hooiz connecting into the decisive goal, efficiently accumulating points.

Meanwhile, Seongnam's next opponent is Bucheon, who are also considered a dark horse in 5th place. Bucheon has shown a dazzling attack this season with 13 goals scored, but having conceded in every match so far this season, it appears essential for Seongnam to target Bucheon's defense. The point difference between the two teams is just 2 points, meaning the outcome of this match could solidify Seongnam's position in the upper ranks or lead to some disruption for Bucheon. The match between the two teams will be held on the 19th at the Tancheon Sports Complex.

□ Player of the round: wonder goal maker 'Lee Dong-ryul (Incheon)'

Incheon is one of the strong candidates for promotion this season. They boast a brilliant lineup that does not differ significantly from last season when they were in K League 1. Additionally, the strategies of Head Coach Yoon Jung-hwan, who led Gangwon to the K League 1 runner-up position last season and won the coach award, cannot be overlooked. These expectations have translated into reality, and Incheon currently sits atop K League 2.

The key to Incheon’s lead is largely due to the recent performance of Lee Dong-ryul. In the 7th round against Chungbuk Cheongju, Lee entered the field in the 63rd minute, replacing Park Seung-ho, and just 4 minutes later, he scored with a picture-perfect left-footed long-range shot. Given the distance and location, it was enough to be called a "wonder goal." The unexpected angle and trajectory meant the opposing goalkeeper could only watch. With Lee Dong-ryul’s goal boosting Incheon's momentum, they ultimately earned a penalty kick, and with Mugosa's decisive goal, they achieved a comeback victory of 2-1. Although Lee Dong-ryul only played for 27 minutes, he made 4 shots, with 2 on target, injecting life into the team.

Lee Dong-ryul also delivered a stunning left-foot volley in the 6th round against Hwaseong, providing the winning goal for the team, achieving two consecutive wonder goals.

Meanwhile, the next opponent for the rising Incheon and Lee Dong-ryul is Cheonan. Cheonan currently sits at the bottom of the league with 1 win and 6 losses. They have only managed to score three goals this season, indicating severe offensive struggles. Lee Dong-ryul aims to score in three consecutive matches and help the team secure their third straight win against Cheonan. The match between Incheon and Cheonan will be held on the 19th at the Incheon Football Stadium.

- Incheon : Cheonan (April 19th (Saturday) at 2 p.m. at Incheon Football Stadium, MAXPORTS, Coupang Play)

- Seoul E-Land : Chungbuk Cheongju (April 19th (Saturday) at 2 p.m. at Mokdong Sports Complex, GOLF&PBA, Coupang Play)

- Suwon : Hwaseong (April 19th (Saturday) at 4:30 p.m. at Suwon World Cup Stadium, Sports TV, Coupang Play)

- Seongnam : Bucheon (April 19th (Saturday) at 4:30 p.m. at Tancheon Sports Complex, BALL TV, Coupang Play)

- Ansan : Busan (April 20th (Sunday) at 2 p.m. at Ansan Wa~Stadium, MAXPORTS, Coupang Play)

- Chungnam Asan : Jeonnam (April 20th (Sunday) at 4:30 p.m. at Lee Soon-shin Sports Complex, GOLF&PBA, Coupang Play)

- Gyeongnam : Gimpo (April 20th (Sunday) at 4:30 p.m. at Changwon Football Center, BALL TV, Coupang Play)

[Photo] Provided by the Korea Professional Football League.

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