Preview: Seoul E-Land vs Daejeon Citizen

We are now ten games into the 2019 K League 2 season and the expected positioning of teams are beginning to show with the usual suspects near enough in their predicted positions. This includes Seoul E-Land who sit dead last in the division. With just one win all year, panic is starting to set in amongst the fans once again, due to the lack of progression in the side. This round, they face off against Daejeon Citizen in Cheonan. With morale low, and Seoul managing only one clean sheet all season, this could only further the struggle of a team who have, in recent weeks, lost their identity.

Overview

via Soccerway

Last Time Out

Seoul E-Land traveled down to face Suwon FC on Sunday evening in the hope of repeating their 2-0 victory last September in Castle Park. Seoul played well in the first 45 minutes. Suwon struggled to get the ball off of Seoul, and the Leopards were constantly pushing forward and creating chances. A breakthrough came in the 24th minute when Alex put Seoul ahead. It was a deserved goal, and they looked like they wanted to continue their goal scoring.

Disaster struck, however, in injury time of the first half and, with the very last kick before the interval, Suwon equalized. Henri Anier found himself unmarked at the back post, where he slid the ball into the net to make it level. This was the turning point of the game with Seoul's heads dropping.

Suwon came out in the second half a completely different team whereas the Leopards might as well of stayed in the changing room. With Seoul still deflated from the last gasp equaliser, Suwon had the ball in the net again, only six minutes after the restart. Chisom Egbuchulam put Suwon ahead to help reverse their fortunes in the game.

Things went from bad to tragic for the capital team as, in the 59th minute, Egbuchulam once again put himself on the scoresheet, making it 3-1 to the home side.

Seoul were on the ropes and failed to string easy passes together. They had no chemistry and no movement between players on and off the ball. A team in disarray made it an easy game for Suwon by the end of the fixture.

Full Time: Suwon FC 3-1 Seoul E-Land

Seoul had a bad round last week against Suwon, but not the worse performance across the league arguably. Daejeon welcomed Busan to the World Cup Stadium in round nine, and they were left in despair by the end of the 90 minutes. A first-half brace from Novothny in the 15th and 25th minute, sent Citizen 2-0 down before the half-hour mark.

Their bad fortunes continued when Lee Jeong-hyeop scored in the 31st minute. Daejeon found themselves 3-0 down at half time and it was surely game over from there.Yet Busan continued to punish a failing Daejeon side, and Lee Jeong-hyeop added his second in the 58th minute.

The day became farcical for the citizens, as a straight red for Lee Jee-sol, reduced them to ten men in the 89th minute. They were then further punished with a fifth goal for Busan in injury time. Lee Dong-jun placed the final nail in the coffin for Daejeon, making it was truly a day for them to forget.

Full Time: Daejeon Citizen 0-5 Busan IPark

Previous Meetings

The two teams faced each other back in March when Seoul traveled to play the Citizens in a 0-0 stalemate.

In reflection, it was a good point earned for Seoul as they were hammered with chances and a few easy opportunities were missed by Deajeon throughout the game. Seoul had one or two chances to make a mark within the matchup, but it was mainly Daejeon attacking against Seoul's defense for the 90.

It certainly wasn't a classic from the two sides. As Daejeon won their two games prior to the match, Seoul went defensively rather than expose themselves.

Full Time: Daejeon Citizen 0-0 Seoul E-Land

Team News

Seoul used their Brazilian trio of Duarte, Coutinho and Wesley Alex in the game against Suwon. It has normally been one of the three who have been getting the goals for the Leopards as of late. Seoul will definitely need one of the Brazilian exports up front if they are to have any chance of scoring against Daejeon on Saturday.

Seoul set up with a 4-2-3-1 formation on the weekend, with Alex the sole striker up top. Seoul don't look entirely bad up front, it's their poor defensive record at the back which is the issue. The back four have no confidence and panic whenever on the ball in the games played. They look inexperienced and out of their depth for the K League 2.

Seoul are crying out for a leader, to take the team out of this poor rut they have had in recent weeks, someone who can lead the back line, and keep heads raised, even if they go a goal down in the game. At the moment there is no momentum, no passion and certainly no results.

The Adversary

Bouncing back from last Sunday's embarrassing defeat to Busan IPark will be Daejeon Citizen manager Ko Jong-soo's utmost priority. Whilst there's no shame in losing to a team that have been tipped as favourites for promotion for the last three seasons, there certainly is in doing so at home and by a scoreline of five-goals-to-nil. The defeat was the Purples' third on the spin in a spell which has seen them ship eight goals and score none.

However, if Daejeon are to bounce back then getting nothing a couple of good results from their next two games will be seen as a must. A trip to Cheonan to take on the league's basement side, Seoul E-Land, is a good as of an opportunity than any heading into next Saturday's home clash with Jeonnam Dragons. Ahead of Saturday, Coach Ko will be thinking long and hard about his tactics, formation and starting lineup. The 4-1-2-3 hasn't been yielding results quite like it did in 2018 and so a shift to a 4-4-2 could be on the cards. Likewise, after fielding such a youthful team last time out, which included 19 year-old Lee Jee-sol, and 23 year-old Yun Kyung-bo at the hard of the defence - the pair have less than 20 first team appearances between them, as well as Lee Jung-moon as the holding midfielder, making just as second start, was nothing short of suicide for the Purples.

At the back, Ko could opt for Hwang Do-yeon whilst Yoon Shin-young is almost a certainty to be reinstalled to the starting lineup after watching last weekend's horror show unfold from the bench. In goal, former Pohang Steelers custodian Kim Jin-young had somewhat of a torrid time against Busan and may have to make do with a place amongst the substitutes with Park Ju-won reinstated between the sticks. Lee Jee-sol is suspended following the red card last time out, but is also away on international duty with the Korea U20 squad.

Given recent form, Daejeon will perhaps be a touch more cautious against E-Land, especially in the first half, but easing past the Leopards ought not to be seen as wholly farfetched, especially if the Purples' playoff aspirations are genuine.

By Paul Neat

Prediction

The game on Saturday will feature two teams who have the worst form in the league. Seoul, as stated earlier, just cannot find that second win that they are desperately looking for to rise up the table.

Daejeon, on the other hand, have taken a battering by Busan IPark in the last round, and may still be licking their wounds when they arrive in Cheonan. The game may not be a classic by any stretch of the imagination, but round 11 will be important for the victor of this encounter. In saying that, I can not see it going in the capital club's favour.

Predicted Score: Seoul E-Land 1-3 Daejeon Citizen