Can Daejeon pick up a first home win of 2021?

Second placed Daejeon Hana Citizen are just two points off top spot heading into Hana 1Q K League 2 Round 6 but all three of their wins this term have come away from home. Sunday's visitors to Purple Arena, Gyeongnam FC, meanwhile, sit bottom of the table with just one win in five. Can Daejeon pick up their first home win of the season, or will the Reds extend their unbeaten run against the Purples to six matches?

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Daejeon Hana Citizen head into Saturday's early K League 2 kick off with Gyeongnam FC on the back of three straight wins in all competitions. The K League 2 Round 4 away win over FC Anyang was followed up by a 4-1 extra time win over K3 side Paju Citizen in the FA Cup 2nd round almost a fortnight ago. Last Sunday, the Purples picked up three points away to Jeonnam Dragons thanks to a fortunate own goal in the last 10 minutes. Lee Min-sung's men sit second in the league, two points behind Seoul E-Land, but all three of their victories have come away from home. In the first five rounds of the season, Daejeon have recorded an expected goals of 10.8 compared to seven goals scored.

Saturday's visitors to Purple Arena, Gyeongnam FC, make the trip north with just one win in five matches and on the back of 2-1 away loss to Chungnam Asan. The defeat was the Reds' first in four matches, though, having previously picked up two wins and a draw in all competitions - a 2-1 away victory over Ansan Greeners before a 0-0 draw at home to Seoul E-Land in the league. However, a 1-0 win over Daejeon Korail in the FA Cup was followed up by the loss to Asan last time out. Gyeongnam sit bottom of the league and have an xG of 5.94 with four goals scored.

[READ: 2021 K League 2 Round 6]

What to Watch

Can Daejeon get their playoff revenge with a first home win of 2021?

In what proved to be Daejeon's final match of 2020, the Purples were knocked out of the playoffs by Sunday's opponents Gyeongnam FC after a controversially disallowed Bruno Baio goal. The Brazilian put Daejeon 2-1 up and on course for a place in the final against Suwon FC. That was, however, until referee Kim Yong-woo decided to disallow the goal after a near-three minute VAR review during which he looked at the incident nearly 30 times. For Daejeon, it was abject disappointment but the players who are still at the club need to use it as motivation and pick up a first home win of the new season.

Both of Daejeon's home fixtures have ended in 2-1 defeat, the first to Busan IPark in Round 2 and then to Gimcheon Sangmu a week later - despite taking the lead. Daejeon's record against Gyeongnam doesn't make great reading for the Purple Arena faithful. Just two wins in the last 10 and only seven in 34 previous encounters. Daejeon's last win over Gyeongnam was four years ago, a 2-1 victory at home in September 2017 thanks to goals from Hwang In-beom and Levan Shengelia.

[READ: Column - VAR, what is it good for?]

Who to Watch

Park Jin-seop

Captain Park Jin-seop has popped up with a couple of captain's goals in recent weeks - the winner away to FC Anyang in Round 4 being one. The former Ansan Greeners man began the season injured but made his return during the 2-1 defeat to Busan as a substitute and has started every match since. Park's build up play and ability to control the tempo of matches is key for the Purples and he is also threat from set pieces with his aerial presence. Park is in the top six midfielders in the division for passes made and was credited with the assist for Lee Jong-hyeon's goal against Jeonnam Dragons last time out. Left back Seo Young-jae is another to keep an eye on. The former Holstein Kiel sits top in K League 2 for passed made into the final third, for crosses made, and third for key passes with 12.

Gyeongnam FC

Hwang Il-su

Lightening quick winger Hwang Il-su very nearly joined Daejeon last winter. In fact, the former Ulsan man arrived at Daejeon's Sintanjin-based training ground before Gyeongnam swooped in at the last minute and snapped up the 33-year-old. Hwang is yet to score this season but bagged five for Gyeongnam last year, including one in the 3-2 comeback win over Daejeon in Changwon last August. Hwang has been deployed as a centre forward for Gyeongnam's last three matches in bid to inject some penetration to the Reds' front line. In terms of shooting accuracy, Hwang is fifth in K League 2 with 50% of all attempts finding the target.