Preview: FC Anyang vs Daejeon Citizen

Daejeon Citizen make the trip north to Anyang on the back of a six-game winless run, stretch that has cut the Purples adrift of the playoffs by nine points. A fourth defeat in six could see the Ko Jongsoo's men drop to the foot of the table whilst subsequently ensuring that Citizen's pursuit of the top four is even more of an uphill task. Anyang, meanwhile, have not lost at home since early May, a run of six games with five victories.
(image via K League)

Overview

from Soccerway

Last Time Out

FC Anyang 3-2 Ansan Greeners

After initially going ahead the Violets came back from behind to seal crucial win last time out in the third Line 4 Derby of the campaign. It was a real ding-dong battle which saw Marcos give the home side an early advantage on 13 minutes before Raul and Lee Injae made it 2-1 to the Greeners with two goals in four minutes with strikes on 20 and 24 minutes respectively. Ten minutes later, though, and the score was level thanks to Anyang's Kim Kyungjoon. Heading into injury time it looked as though the spoils were going to be shared but an own goal from Song Jooho sealed the win for Ko Jeongwoon's men, moving the Violets up to ninth whilst Ansan dropped to tenth.

Highlights: here

Daejeon Citizen 1-1 Gwangju

Debutant Sanzhar Tursunov bagged a late equaliser for Daejeon Citizen in a 1-1 draw at home to Gwangju. Even without star striker Na Sangho who has joined up with the South Korea Asian Games squad, Gwangju got their noses in front after 17 minutes - Jung Youngchong with the goal. It looked as though the Purples were heading for their third defeat on the spin and fourth in five but Uzbek international midfielder, Sanzhar Tursunov, fired home from close range to salvage a draw for Citizen. The point was enough to keep Daejeon off the foot of the table but are now locked on 23 points with Saturday's opponents FC Anyang as well as Ansan Greeners.

Highlights: here

Previous Meetings

Daejeon are unbeaten against Anyang this term having picked up a 1-1 draw in Anyang, Park Suchang bagging a superbly struck equaliser back in April, before a 3-2 win at Purple Arena in May. The Purples are also unbeaten against Anyang in the last four, before which the Violets won the previous two.

The last time Daejeon lost away to Anyang was May last year, a 3-2 reverse heaped further misery on what was then Lee Youngik's side. However, Daejeon have to hark back to four years ago for their last away win over Anyang, a 3-2 victory in May 2014 gave Cho Jinho's eventual promotion-winning side the spoils. Song Joohan gave Daejeon a 28th minute lead before Kim Jaewoong levelled on the stroke of half time. Rim Changwoo, who famously scored the winning goal for South Korea in the 2014 Asian Games Final, put Citizen back in front on 56 minutes, Vanderlei doubled Daejeon's advantage two minutes later. Felipe Adão pulled one back with fifteen minutes to go but Citizen held on.

Saturday's fixture will be the fifteenth meeting between the two teams, from the previous fourteen Daejeon and Anyang both have five wins with the remaining four matches ending as stalemates.

Team News

FC Anyang have no players ruled out through suspension but there are no fewer than nine players who are just one more yellow away from missing the Violets' next match. Club captain Jeon Suhyun is expected to start between the sticks against his former club having spent one season at Purple Arena in 2017.

Daejeon also have a clean slate suspensions-wise but there are eight players who could miss the trip to E-Land next Wednesday should they pick up another booking. On the treatment table, goalkeeper Kim Jinyoung is Citizen's only long term absentee, former Seongnam custodian Park Junhyeok is expected to deputise having displaced Lim Minhyeok, despite some stellar performances for the Purples. Sanzhar Tursunov may be handed his first start having bagged the equaliser against Gwangju last week.

The Adversary

FC Anyang began the 2018 with lofty aspirations, gaffer Ko Jeongwoon even spoke of a top four finish when first appointed last winter. However, a sluggish start to the campaign saw the Violets pick up just one three points from their first 11 matches, the first victory of the campaign game in round 12, a 3-2 home triumph over Gwangju. Since then, though, Anyang have performed admirably. Following the win over Gwangju, Anyang went on to pick up five points from the next three games and have lost just once three times from their last 12 league outings.

Tactically, Ko Jeongwoon sets his Anyang side up in either a 4-2-1-3/4-2-3-1 formation or a 3-4-3. Both formations have produced results with the former being deployed in wins over Ansan Greeners home and away as well as an away win over Bucheon 1995. The latter was used in a 1-0 home win over Seoul E-Land as well as the 4-3 defeat to Busan IPark at the Gudeok. Versatility could be attributed to why Anyang have fared so well of late; Marcos Antonio has been an important player for the Violet and has operated from defensive midfield, central midfield as well as from left wing-back. Winger Jung Heewoong can play on both flanks whilst centre forward Kim Kyungjun can play through the middle or out wide. Combined, the trio have 10 league goals between them, Jung with six whilst Marcos and Kim have two each.

FC Anyang Lineup vs Ansan Greeners K League 2 R22

Who To Watch

Wesley Alex

Alex celebrates scoring against Ansan Greeners K League 2 R22 (image via K League)

The Violets' leading scorer this term is Brazilian forward Wesley Alex. The 30 year-old has eight for the season and is the K2's second most deadly marksmen behind Gwangju's Na Sangho. The former Seoul E-Land hitman, who is in his second spell with Anyang, has proved that he can produce that little bit of magic to win games and has bagged braces in 3-2 wins over both Daejeon and Gwangju. Alex has featured in 15 league games, starting 10 and has had 27 attempts on goal, 18 of which have hit the target.

Prediction

The hosts are in good form, despite the odd defeat, and will feel as though three points against a struggling Daejeon side will be well within their grasp. Daejeon head into Saturday's game without a win since just before the World Cup break and are slowly getting cut adrift of the playoffs. A draw is perhaps the best that Citizen can hope for with the hosts the favourites for this one.

FC Anyang 1-0 Daejeon Citizen