Unexpected contenders: Gimcheon Sangmu & Gangwon FC look to make history

With the K League 1 now in its final stage and the championship and relegation groups split, both of this year’s surprise packages, Gimcheon Sangmu and Gangwon FC, will be looking for strong finishes to clinch a first league title in the clubs’ histories.

Having already enjoyed highly successful seasons, in which Gimcheon finished second and Gangwon finished third during the first phase, they now face the daunting task of five ‘cup finals’ against the rest of the top six.

Gimcheon currently sits five points behind the table toppers Ulsan HD, having been dealt a blow to their title hopes when they went down 2-1 to their fellow title contenders in the final game of the regular season. The game itself was a very tight affair, and it was Gimcheon who took the lead midway through the first half when Mo Jae-hyun beat the offside trap before slotting coolly past Jo Hyeon-woo in the Ulsan goal. Gimcheon was unable to add to their lead, though, and were pegged back with 15 minutes left to play when Ko Seung-beom equalized with a diving header. Yago Cariello then grabbed the winner four minutes later when he slotted home from Ataru Esaka’s low cross.

The win was, of course, huge for Ulsan, as their second-half comeback meant that they come into the second phase five points clear of second-placed Gimcheon, rather than being a point behind them. Gimcheon has a chance to close the gap this weekend, though, as they welcome Ulsan to the Gimcheon Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon. It really is a must-win game for Gimcheon, as a defeat would mean an eight-point gap, which would pretty much end any realistic hopes of clinching the title.

Another team that will be hoping Gimcheon can get something from this weekend’s encounter is Gangwon, who are currently six points behind the leaders. Having narrowly avoided relegation to K League 2 via the playoffs last season, many would have expected another season of fighting it out at the wrong end of the table; however, a highly impressive campaign has seen them among the front runners, still with a chance of securing a first-ever title.

After a slow start to the season, some impressive form over the summer months has seen Gangwon mount a surprise title challenge, and while poor form saw them pick up just one win in their last six games, they are still just about in reach of Ulsan, as they sit six points behind them, but they cannot afford any more slip-ups. In their last game, they traveled to Incheon United and took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Yang Min-hyeok finished off a neat passing move by stabbing home from close range. It looked like their task would become easier in the second half when Incheon’s Matej Jonjić was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Franko Kovačević; however, the home side equalized on 73 minutes when Hong Si-hoo finished from inside the box after Gangwon had failed to clear their lines from a free kick. The away side eventually emerged victorious, though, with a late brace from Lee Sang-heon, rounding the keeper for the first before a well-taken strike after a jinking run inside the box put the game beyond doubt.

Gangwon will be hoping that the late win is a sign of things to come, as they know nothing less than maximum points will do when they host Seoul FC on Sunday. While Seoul saw their title hopes ended a few weeks ago, they still have hopes of qualifying for the AFC Champions League. While qualification for Asian club competition will also be some consolation for Gangwon if they fail to win the title, Gimcheon is, of course, excluded from qualification due to being a military club.

With Ulsan still in pole position and looking as strong as usual, it is going to take a big turnaround for either side to upset the odds; however, so far, it has been a season of many twists and turns, so anything could happen. If Gimcheon does manage to gain victory on Saturday, it means the clash between them and Gangwon the following weekend could end up being a huge encounter.