Can Gangwon pick themselves up for an important cup tie?
After yet another disappointing failure to win on Sunday, Gangwon will be looking to dust themselves off and go again when they face-off against Seoul E-Land in the FA Cup. However, their opponents come into this fixture in good spirits, and will be hoping that they can claim a second first division scalp after defeating rivals FC Seoul in the last round.
Recent Form
The Bears come into proceedings following on from four successive draws, a dismal return which leaves them still in danger of being dragged into a relegation fight. They face high-flying Daegu at the weekend, so will hope that they can build some momentum in this cup tie, where league form arguably doesn't matter. With that being said, inconsistent performances and poor finishing has been a recurrence during Gangwon's dogged run of form, so they will need to buck that trend should they wish to come away unscathed from Seoul E-Land's visit.
On the opposite side of the coin, E-Land go into the game unbeaten in four, but after three consecutive draws, will be hoping that they can take their defensive initiative and fighting spirit - the side have came from behind to draw level on all three occasions - to score another cup upset.
Team News
For Gangwon, there are a few injury concerns going into this week's cup tie. For one, the fitness of Kim Dae-won and Shin Chang-moo is unknown, whilst long-term absentees Ko Moo-yeol, Lim Chai-min and Cho Jae-wan all still miss out. Hwang Mun-ki is expected to be unable to return after a training injury last week, whereas the likes of Han Kook-young, Shin Se-gye, Rim Chang-woo and Rustam Ashurmatov may all drop down to the bench for rotational purposes. With Kim Byung-soo's side in desperate need of a win, though, wholesale changes may not be relied upon.
Seoul E-Land come into the game with a generally healthy side, and, although they may be tempted to rest players going into an important league game at the weekend, could well hold off on temptation with the hopes of pulling off a cup upset.
Head-to-Head
Despite facing-off against each other eight times over the years, Seoul E-Land are yet to defeat Gangwon. The Bears have won on five different occasions, and will aspire to make sure that statistic will become six at the conclusion of Wednesday's game. However, the last meeting between both clubs was in 2016, so history is unlikely to play big of a part in proceedings.
What to Watch
Will Gangwon's fortunes change in the FA Cup?
After drawing to FC Seoul on Sunday, Gangwon extended their winless streak to eight games in all competitions. Their last victory came away to Cheongju in the FA Cup on April 14, and since then the club has looked a mixture of poor, unfortunate, and reasonably efficient. Manager Kim Byung-soo will believe that his side has what it takes to get past their second division opposition, but with the players starting to look like they are doubting themselves, Wednesday's fixture may provide more tense viewing than first hoped.
Will E-Land score another upset?
After their impressive 1-0 derby victory against FC Seoul, E-Land will harbour ambitions of beating another top division team coming into Wednesday's matchup. With the home side struggling, confidence may well be on the side of the underdogs, which in turn is likely to help produce an entertaining clash.
Who to Watch
Vladimir SiladjiAt the culmination of Sunday's game, Vladimir Siladji cut a rather forlorn figure. The Serbian has yet to impress fans of Gangwon since his arrival, and a stoppage-time penalty miss which could have put an end to his team's poor run is unlikely to have led to endearment. A strong showing against enthusiastic opposition could go a long way in repairing fractured relations though, so there's no doubt that the striker will certainly be chomping at the bit to get his chance in the starting eleven.
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