■ Match of the round: Leading solidification 'Daejeon' vs. 3-game winning streak challenge 'Gangwon'
In the 10th round, Daejeon (1st place, points 20) and Gangwon (7th place, points 13), both of which won in the last round, will face off.
The home team Daejeon maintained their top position with a 2-0 victory over Gimcheon in the last round. In the 31st minute of the first half, Kim Jun-beom scored the opening goal with a fantastic volley, and in the 9th minute of the second half, Joo Min-kyu secured the victory by successfully converting a penalty kick. This season, Daejeon has scored 17 goals, the highest among the 12 K League 1 teams, with a total of 9 players, including the top scorer Joo Min-kyu (7 goals), finding the back of the net. In a situation where the opposing teams are increasing their pressure on Joo Min-kyu, it is encouraging that various players are scoring. Daejeon has maintained its lead for about a month and a half since the 4th round, and although it is the mid-season, it is the first time this season that Daejeon has topped the K League 1. It will be interesting to see if Daejeon can continue its good momentum in this round.
In contrast, Gangwon achieved their first consecutive wins of the season with a 2-1 victory over Ulsan in the last round. Notably, this victory was especially significant as it marked Gangwon's first win at Ulsan since May 2012, breaking a streak of 16 consecutive losses on that ground. In this match, the debut goal and winning goal scored by rookie Shin Min-ha stood out, and goalkeeper Lee Kwang-yeon also showcased stable saves with 4 catches and 3 punches. Gangwon has successfully reversed its momentum recently, climbing from 11th to 7th place, currently tied with Seoul in points at 6th place. Last season, which resulted in a runner-up finish, they managed to improve their performance gradually after an early-season disappointment of 3 draws and 1 loss until March, winning 3 times in April.
Meanwhile, Daejeon and Gangwon have drawn in all three encounters last season, showing an even match-up. The team that will smile first in their first encounter this season can be found on the 27th at 4:30 p.m. at Daejeon World Cup Stadium.
▷ Lee Kyung-soo, Commissioner (Daejeon)
Daejeon recorded a clean sheet in the last round against Gimcheon, stabilizing their previously shaky defense. Coping well with Gangwon's organized defense and rapid counterattacks is Daejeon's task for this round.
▷ Lee Seung-jun, Commissioner (Gangwon)
Gangwon's rising stars, Lee Ji-ho, who received the Young Player Award in March, and rookie Shin Min-ha, who scored the winning goal against Ulsan, are developing quickly. Notably, Lee Ji-ho, who is primarily deployed as a winger, impressively attempts aggressive one-on-one attacks while creating space, and looks for the opponent's behind-creating openings at opportune moments. With recent stable defense supporting the rapidly developing style of play under Coach Jeong Gyeong-ho, expectations are high. A concern is their attacking power, but if they maintain their current momentum and players' confidence, goals will naturally follow.
■ Team of the round: Challenge for upper-tier entry, 'Anyang'
Anyang (8th place, points 12) fought a balanced battle against Ulsan in the midweek but lost 0-1 after allowing a penalty kick goal from Eric.
Anyang is the only team in the league this season without a draw. Despite being in their first season in K League 1, they do not settle for draws and instead aggressively confront their opponents. The team's attacking prowess is centered around Mota (4 goals, 2 assists), who is recording the most attacking points, with foreign players such as Mateus (2 goals) and Yago (1 goal) leading the charge. In contrast, only domestic players Chae Hyun-woo, Choi Kyu-hyun, and Choi Seong-beom have scored, but if domestic attackers like Kim Un, who scored in the Korea Cup 3rd round, and Park Jeong-hoon, who showcased sharp breakthroughs in the last Ulsan match, can contribute, Anyang will find it easier to navigate their matches.
Anyang has allowed 12 goals this season and has shown somewhat unstable defense, so they need to maintain focus during the build-up process to minimize passing errors. Highlighting stability in defense should be achieved by centering on central defender Thomas, who has excelled in both offense and defense since joining this year, and captain Lee Chang-yong, to aim for a victory alongside a clean sheet in this round.
Meanwhile, Anyang will face Jeju (10th place, points 11) in the 10th round. Jeju has shown a strong edge in the head-to-head record, winning all three previous encounters. The team that can claim victory in the fierce mid-table battle will be determined on the 26th at 4:30 p.m. at Anyang Sports Complex.
▷ Baek Young-cheol, Commissioner (Anyang)
Anyang shows defense by forcing opponents to the sides with a detailed spacing maintenance through mid-block or low-block rather than high pressing, where Lee Yong-jik and Kim Jeong-hyun in front of the back four effectively apply pressure along with height battles, showcasing a more solid organization than last year. In particular, Anyang's progression starting from Thomas's build-up is fluid, and in the process of entering the final third, they mostly utilize the individual capabilities of foreign attackers. Among domestic players, Chae Hyun-woo, Kang Ji-hoon, and Lee Tae-hee have shown dedicated performances in both defense and offense, raising expectations.
■ Player of the round: Flourishing goal-scoring ability, 'Sahabak (Suwon FC)'
Suwon FC (12th place, points 7) lost 1-3 against Anyang in the last round and remains at the bottom, but the performance of foreign attacker Sahabak shone brightly.
Sahabak, who holds dual nationality in Colombia and Syria, has consistently shown strong scoring ability after playing in the first divisions of Colombia and Peru, and donned the Suwon FC jersey through this winter transfer window. After mainly being introduced as a substitute at the start of the season and struggling to record any attacking points, he scored his K League 1 debut goal in the 7th round against Pohang and has since activated his scoring streak for three consecutive rounds.
Sahabak is a striker who possesses both physicality and technical skills, equipped with abilities in aerial duels and finishing in front of the goal. This season, Suwon FC has scored only 7 goals in nine matches, ranking last in team scoring, with the only high-scoring match being a 3-2 victory against Gimcheon in the 8th round. If Sahabak, currently the team’s leading scorer with 3 goals, can unlock the team's scoring potential, Suwon FC may aim to escape the bottom.
Meanwhile, Suwon FC's opponent in this round is Jeonbuk (3rd place, points 15). The teams faced each other three times last season, finishing with 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss each, showing an evenly matched competition. The first meeting of the season between Suwon FC and Jeonbuk will take place on the 26th at 2 p.m. at Suwon Sports Complex.
▷ Joo Seung-jin, Commissioner (Suwon FC)
Initially, there were concerns that Sahabak's somewhat heavy and slow performance at the beginning of the season would make it challenging to succeed in the K League, but as his playing time increased, he has gradually come to life. Sahabak is showing excellent performance in link-up play by actively challenging for second-ball headers and ball possession during back build-ups. Although he may not be physically agile, his concentration in front of the goal and situational awareness are strong, making it reasonable to expect him to score in the next round.
< K League 1 2025 10th round match schedule >
Suwon FC: Jeonbuk [April 26 (Saturday) 2 p.m. Suwon Sports Complex / SkySports, Coupang Play]
Anyang: Jeju [April 26 (Saturday) 4:30 p.m. Anyang Sports Complex / IB SPORTS, Coupang Play]
Pohang: Seoul [April 27 (Sunday) 2 p.m. Pohang Steel Yard / SkySports, Coupang Play]
Gimcheon: Ulsan [April 27 (Sunday) 4:30 p.m. Gimcheon Sports Complex / SkySports, Coupang Play]
Daejeon: Gangwon [April 27 (Sunday) 4:30 p.m. Daejeon World Cup Stadium / IB SPORTS, Coupang Play]
[Photo provided by Korean Professional Football Association.]
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