Preview: FC Anyang vs Ansan Greeners

Ansan Greeners travel to the Anyang Sports Complex on Sunday evening to take on fellow K2 strugglers, FC Anyang. The Violets currently sit bottom of the table, but are only three points adrift of the Greeners in seventh. Both sides come into the game on the back of narrow league losses and will be desperate for a ‘Line Four Derby’ victory in this one. James Walsh takes a look at what to expect.
(image via K League)

Last Time Out

The Greeners' latest loss came at the hands of Suwon FC at the Wa on Monday night. Suwon's newest Brazilian acquisition, Fernando Viana’s sumptuous free-kick was enough to condemn Lee Heung-sil’s men to a sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

Highlights: here

Meanwhile, Anyang were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at the Gudeok. IPark’s Ko-Kyeong-min completed a superb hat-trick late on to give the home side the three points. Busan’s Ji-ho Han also got on the scoresheet, along with Anyang’s Brazilian talisman, Alex, who bagged a brace, as well as midfielder, Kim Won-min.

Highlights: here

Previous Meetings

The head-to-head record stands at one apiece between these two teams so far for this K League 2 season.

Anyang came out on top in the last meeting, winning that encounter by a single goal to nil. Kim Won-min tapped in deep into the second forty five after Ansan goalkeeper, Hwang Seong-min, had spilled a routine free-kick onto his near post.

The Greeners came up trumps in the first match at the Wa, Seku Conneh’s early second half penalty gave the home side a 2-1 win following Anyang’s Hee-woong Jeong’s equaliser that had earlier cancelled out Ansan midfielder, Hong Dong-hyun’s exquisite volleyed opener.

Team News

Sunday’s game may see Greeners’ attacking duo, Fidel and Lee Chang-hoon, given their first away starts. Uruguayan striker, Raul Taragonna, and midfielder Jang Hyeok-jin, both staked a claim for a starting berth by each scoring twice in Tuesday’s friendly win over reigning Hong Kong Premier League champions, Kitchee Sports Club.

Anyang are expected to hand a start to their Brazilian striker, Alex, following his double salvo from the bench in Sunday’s 4-3 reverse in Busan. It is also anticipated that fellow countryman, winger Marcos, will be again deployed as a left wing-back in Monday’s fixture, as Anyang manager, Ko Jeong-woon, looks set to stick with his favoured four-three-three formation.

The Adversary

The home side have spent almost the entirety of the season at the foot of the table,and come into this fixture with back-to-back losses in the K2 and KFA Cup. Prior to last weekend’s defeat to IPark, Anyang were beaten in round four of the KFA Cup by K3 Advanced side, Mokpo City. Ko Jeong-woon’s boys are however unbeaten in their last five league home matches, and have amassed four victories during that run.

Who to Watch

Ansan’s new offensive twosome, Fidel and Lee Chang-hoon, have been tasked with getting the Greeners back among the goals. Brazilian attacker, Fidel, who is on loan from Busan FC, is a dogged centre-forward who has injected more energy into the forward line. Chang-hoon has joined from K League 1 giants, Jeju United, and is the type of player who can fashion a chance out of very little, which is exactly what Lee Heung-sil was looking for given the lack of service that his forwards are currently receiving.

As for the Violets, their own South American forward, Alex, is having a fine season in front of goal. He has got onto the scoresheet on eight occasions to date in this season’s Challenge, only Gwangju’s Na Sang-ho has more goals in the K2, with eleven. Alex is a player brimming with confidence with that Midas touch in the six-yard box. His partner up-front, Jeong Hee-woong , is also playing at the top of his game. He has six goals already to his name this term, including one against Monday’s opposition, and is a direct and tenacious striker.

Prediction

The Greeners have not scored in nine and a half hours of football, and look devoid of ideas at present. Ansan’s dearth of creative flair coupled with their haphazard defending at the back has led to a complete nosedive in form. Anyang on the other hand, have been strong at home of late, and in Alex, they have a gifted attacker who will give the away side’s leaky defence a tough examination.

Predicted Score: FC Anyang 1-0 Ansan Greeners