Preview: Jeonnam Dragons Vs Ansan Greeners

It promises to be a decisive day on the south coast for the play-offs. Jeonnam Dragons' late season revival may have seen them fall short of the playoffs, but they may still have a big say on the semi-final. Ansan Greeners' shipping of stoppage time goals have seen them drop vital points in recent weeks, and they head to the south coast looking over their shoulders, as Bucheon lay just two points behind the Green Wolves.

Last Time Out

Gwangju 1-2 Jeonnam
The Dragons picked up a great win against the K2 champions on the road. Bruno Baio opened the scoring early, the Brazilian notching up his eighth of the season, before Doo Hyen-seok leveled for the home side. A second-half strike from Kim Geon-ung sealed the points for the visitors, the 22 year-old laying down a marker for being one to watch as Jeonnam try to return to the K1 after a sobering first campaign in the second tier.

Ansan 1-2 Suwon
A draw would have all but sealed Ansan's place in the play-offs but they were left to scratch their heads as to how they let this one slip through their fingers. An early goal from Ishida Masatoshi set the Wa Stadium into party mode, before being pulled back for an apparent push by the striker while he was making his run. Ansan maintained dominance of the game, before winning a penalty that looked set to finally break the deadlock. What proceeded was as confusing as it was farcical, as Jang Hyeok-jin lined up the spot kick, knocked it a few inches forward before Vintecinco looked to have hit double figures for their season by smashing it in.

The second set of celebrations were soon checked however as the Brazilian had encroached in the penalty area before Jang had touched the ball. It was a moment of flamboyance that was to have devastating consequences for the Greeners. Vintecinco would be given his marching orders for a second yellow lot long after the hour mark, for his third red card of the season, ruling him out of a potential semi-final play-off. Ansan's worst fears were confirmed, despite their second half dominance, Masatoshi spurning a golden chance when through on goal, before Suwon struck in injury time through Estonian Henri Anier.

However, Masatoshi was once again in the thick of things with his fifth in as many games, as Ansan amazingly struck back instantly, making it 1-1 and potentially cementing fourth spot. However there was to be one final sting, as sloppy defending allowed Suwon to take the lead again, with Jang Joon-young scoring the third injury time goal. Ansan were left ruing sloppiness and outright foolish behaviour, and will be hoping Suwon can repeat the result against Bucheon this weekend. The fact that Anyang also slipped up will further rub salt into Ansan wounds.

Previous Meetings

This season marked the first team any Ansan based side had ever faced Jeonnam, and the Greeners have won every encounter thus far winning, 3-0, 3-1 and 1-0. Back in May, Vintecinco hit a brace at the Wa Stadium, and Jang Hyeok-jin scored the other, with two of those goals coming in injury time, a theme for Ansan this season, for and against. The June trip to the south-coast opened with a Kim Gyeong-min own goal, before Park Jin-sub and Kim Jin-wuk made it 3-0. Lee Ji-nam would pull one back for the Dragons with am you guessed it, injury time goal. The last meeting was in July when Ansan left it late... injury time... before Bang Chang-jun fired in a winner.

Team News

Joint top scorer Vintecinco will be Ansan's biggest loss for this game, and the Greeners will have to hope Masatoshi's free scoring form continues. A lot will be made of the goalkeeping choice as well. Lim Wan-seop, has constantly rotated his two main keepers this season, with Hwang In-jae having been between the sticks on eighteen occasions in the league, and Lee Hee-seong seventeen. Will he go for a perfect balance of appearances, given that Hwang has twice played against Jeonnam, and Lee only once?

Who To Watch

Ansan striker Masatoshi will be looking to make a point and hit double figures, but as mentioned above, it is the goalkeeping situation that seems like it will be the main story behind Ansan's fortunes.

Prediction

The permutations of this match are simple, if Ansan fail to win, Bucheon could overtake them and take fourth spot with a win at Suwon. Ansan have to go for broke, but with Jeonnam having won 4 of their last 6, this will be a great risk. The last two weekend's hiccups, from the penalty farce at Anyang, to self-inflicted one at the Wa, Ansan may have just let the play-offs slip through their fingers. Jeonnam have a point to prove, and they will want to finish the season on a high.<

Jeonnam 2-2 Ansan

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