Professional soccer’s K League 2 (2nd Division) is in the midst of a promotion battle like no other this year. Not only is the winner automatically promoted to the first division, but the fifth-place finish, which is the threshold for the promotion playoffs (PO), is unpredictable.
The promotion battle has taken an interesting turn due to the sudden slump of FC Anyang, who have been leading the table since May. Anyang lost 0-1 to Suwon Samsung in the 34th round of the K League 2 at the Yongin Mir Stadium on Nov. 6, snapping a three-game losing streak.Anyang (54 points), which has played one game less than its rivals, maintained a three-point lead over second-place Chungnam Asan FC despite the defeat. However, the momentum has disappeared, as Anyang 토토사이트 had a commanding nine-point lead in the middle of last month.
Anyang’s next opponent is third-place Busan IPark (50 points), which has been on a tear since the arrival of head coach Cho Sung-hwan. Conversely, second-placed Chungnam Asan have an easy schedule, facing last-place Seongnam FC after the A-Match break. At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chungnam Asan take over the top spot at any point.
Anyang blames its sudden slump on player fatigue from the long run. Anyang’s long lead was a confidence booster, but it also put a lot of stress on the players. Against Suwon, Kim Young-chan, Nicholas, and Han Garam collapsed in that order, ruining the match.
Anyang, Chungnam Asan, and Busan aren’t the only clubs chasing promotion to the top flight. Fourth-placed Seoul Eland, fifth-placed Jeonnam Dragons (49 points), sixth-placed Suwon (48 points), seventh-placed Bucheon FC, and eighth-placed Gimpo FC (46 points), all of whom are one step away from the title race, can still qualify for promotion via the promotion PO. It’s also worth noting that Jeonnam and Gimpo are both on a two-game winning streak while the points gap is tight.
Whether it’s Seoul Eland and Bucheon dreaming of their first promotion to the top division, Jeonnam and Suwon Samsung hoping to shake off the pain of relegation to the second division, or Gimpo fighting for promotion every year on a limited budget, promotion is the goal of every team.
In 2013, the K League introduced a promotion system, and from 2022, the rules were tweaked to allow up to three teams to be promoted and relegated. The K-League 2 winner will be promoted automatically to the K-League 1 next year (12th place is automatic relegation). The second-place finisher will play for 11th place and a promotion PO, while the third through fifth-place finishers will play for a promotion PO, with the eventual winner playing for 10th place and a promotion PO. With 13 teams in the K League 2, the final standings are determined by 39 matches, so the remaining seven or eight matches will be even more intense.