Preview: Daejeon Hana Citizen vs Ansan Greeners

Unbeaten-in-three Daejeon Hana Citizen host Ansan Greeners in K League 2 Round 4 on Tuesday night, a side which has picked up just one win from their opening three matches. Ansan haven't scored in 219 minutes having drawn blanks against Suwon and Bucheon in rounds two and three respectively, whilst Daejeon have already picked up a habit of scoring late on in games.

Overview

via Soccerway

Last Time Out

Jeju United 2-3 Daejeon Hana Citizen

Daejeon came back from 2-0 down to record their first away win over Jeju United in seven years thanks to goals from Andre, Park Jin-seop, and Yoon Seung-won. The hosts found themselves two-goals-to-the-good thanks to first half strikes from Gong Min-hyun and Joo Min-kyu. But, not long after Jeju had gone 2-0 up, the Purples were awarded a penalty after Cho Jae-cheol was upended in the box.

Andre stepped up, sent the 'keeper the wrong way to score his fourth goal in three matches since joining on loan from Corinthians. A key point in the match was the red card to Jeju captain Lee Chang-min after the 26-year-old went in two-footed on Park Jin-seop. A yellow card was produced at first but after referee Song Min-seok had consulted VAR, the yellow was changed to red and Lee was given his marching orders.

After the dismissal, Daejeon looked to be the only team who would go on and win the match, even at 2-1 down. An equaliser came with 10 minutes remaining, Park Jin-seop latching onto a loose ball in the box before slotting it into the bottom corner. Then, with full time looming, two former FC Seoul teammates combined as Lee Kyu-ro sent in a cross from the left to Yoon Seung-won who, on his Daejeon debut, nodded the ball home.

Highlights




Ansan Greeners 0-2 Bucheon FC 1995

Ansan Greeners suffered their second consecutive 2-0 defeat on Saturday after league leaders and Gyeonggi Province neighbours Bucheon left the Wa~ with all three points. The Reds sealed the win with a goal one minute in and one minute from time as Lee Hyeon-il, a recent signing from Seongnam, gave Song Sun-ho's side an early lead. Then, on 89 minutes, Lee Jung-chan sealed the win with his first goal in over a year.

Highlights

Previous Meetings

Ansan Greeners' first ever competitive match was a 2-1 win over Daejeon Citizen on the opening day of the 2017 season. On that March afternoon, Nasimov gave Ansan a 41st minute lead before Lee Ho-seok levelled five minutes after the restart. However, Han Geon-yong fired in a 91st minute winner with what was his first of just three goals in a Greeners shirt. Daejeon struggled against Ansan in 2017, losing twice and drawing twice and didn't pick up their first win over the Greeners until August 2018., a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Ko Myeong-seok.

The most recent meeting was in September last year, a 0-0 draw at Purple Arena. One month earlier, Daejeon ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Aurelian Chițu and Antonio. In total, there have been 12 meetings between the two sides, Daejeon have just three wins to Ansan's four and five draws. At home, the Purples have one just once, the aforementioned 1-0 win in August 2018.

Team News

Daejeon will continue to be without both Connor Chapman and Bruno Baio meaning that manager Hwang Sun-hong could stick with the same team which beat Jeju at the weekend. Andre Luis was deployed as the lone striker with match-winner Yoon Seung-won as the number 10, flanked by Park Yong-ji and Kim Seung-seop. Hwang doesn't seem to be totally convinced by former Korea University winger Kim Seung-seop who lasted just 46 minute against Jeju and was hooked on 70 minutes against Suwon before being left out altogether for the home visit of Chungnam Asan. Park In-hyeok, Choi Jae-hyun or Jeong Hee-woong could start in his place.

Daejeon Hana Citizen lineup vs Jeju United, K League 2 Round 3

Ansan Greeners, meanwhile, will be looking to shake things up after two straight defeats. Soony Saad came on as a second half substitute against Bucheon, as did Bruno whilst Ismael Jorge was introduced two minutes before half time. All three will be hoping that they did enough to earn a place in Kim Gil-sik's starting lineup for the trip to Purple Arena.

Ansan Greeners starting lineup vs Bucheon FC 1995, K League 2 Round 3

[READ: What K League Means To Me: Connor Chapman]

The Adversary

Ansan Greeners began the season with a win of Line 4 Derby rivals FC Anyang, Lee Rae-jun with the game's only goal on 51 minutes. But, since then, the Greeners have gone 219 minutes without a goal having drawn a blank against both Bucheon and Suwon. After Lim Wan-sub was poached by K League 1 side Incheon United, Ansan turned to fledgling manager Kim Gil-sik to lead the team. Under Kim so far this term, Ansan have largely been set up in a 5-4-1 formation. A defensive mindset has limited the Greeners to an xG of just 0.64, compared to their opponents for a combined 1.41.  Furthermore, 11 shots on target from their first three matches may be slightly more than their opponents on average at 10.33 but accuracy of shots taken compared to those on target is much less, 39.4% compared to 48.4%

What To Watch

Yoon Seung-won

By heading home Daejeon's winner away to Jeju on Saturday, former Korean youth international Yoon Seung-won scored his first senior goal since nearly three years and on what was his first first team appearance in two years. A former teammate of his, who shall remain unnamed, once likened him to Robin van Persie; both footed, good in the air and bags of technique. But, Yoon spent the entire 2019 campaign, and much of 2018, turning out for FC Seoul's reserves and in risk of falling into obscurity. But following the appointment of Hwang Sun-hong, the 25-year-old has been given an opportunity to revive his career. Due to injury, Yoon was omitted from Daejeon's match day squads which faced Suwon and Chungnam, but after completing 90 minutes and scoring the winner, the onus is now on him to rebuild his career. Yoon operated in the number 10 role on Saturday, but can play out wide or as an out-and-out striker.

Prediction

Daejeon have left it late to pick up points in all three of their matches this season. Whilst this will be encouraging, the fact that the Purples have gone behind in each of those games will also be a concern. Luckily for Daejeon, they face a team which hasn't found the net in each of their last two matches and with a fledgling manager scrambling to find a winning formula. Daejeon should come through Tuesday's game unscathed and with three points, but more defensive stability is needed.

[READ: K League 2 Round 4 Preview]