Commas are short. The A-match break is just a breathing space for a comeback. The K League is taking a two-week break starting on the 11th.
But there’s more to the break than 안전놀이터 just the absence of matches. Some teams are already back in training, with K League 1 leaders Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai, coached by Dan Petrescu, resuming on the 15th. K League 1 and 2 will resume on the 24th.
In the K League 1, Ulsan’s dominance has been consolidated, and the battle for second place is in a new phase. With 12 wins, two draws, and two losses, Ulsan has 44 points and the second-place Pohang Steelers (31-8, 7-7, 3-3) have a whopping 13 points. At this rate, it’s not going to be easy to close the gap.
In the battle for second place, Jeonbuk has emerged as the eye of the storm. After falling as low as 10th place, Jeonbuk has recently regained its form with three straight wins. They have won 8 games, drawn 3 and lost 7, and have 27 points. The difference between Jeonbuk and Pohang, who have climbed to fifth place, is now only four points.
Third-place FC Seoul (29-8 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses) and fourth-place Jeju United (28-8 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses), who were tied for second with Pohang, also have a long way to go. Sixth-place Daegu FC (27-7W6D5L), which sits behind Jeonbuk on goal difference, and seventh- and eighth-place Daejeon Hana Citizens (26-7W5D6L) and Gwangju FC (25-7W4D7L) are also in the mix. There are still 15 rounds to go before the split. A long way to go. But sixth place, the Final A’s chin-up, is a psychological threshold. It’s the only way to avoid a relegation battle.
On the other hand, the teams at the bottom have nowhere to fall. Eleventh-place Gangwon FC (12-2 W, 6-6 D, 10 L) and last-place Suwon Samsung (9-2 W, 3-3 D, 13 L) need to find a way out during the break to rebound. Ninth-place Incheon United (20-4W, 8D, 6L) and 10th-place Suwon FC (18-5W, 3D, 10L) also have nowhere to turn.
In K League 2, where promotion to the top flight is the goal, the battle at the top has already begun. First and second place Gyeongnam FC and Busan I-Park are both on 30 points. Third-place Anyang FC has 28 points, while fourth through sixth-place Bucheon FC, Gimcheon Commerce, and Gimpo FC all have 27 points. Anyang, Gimcheon, and Gimpo have played one less game, so it’s hard to tell which of the six teams is the best. Therefore, the A-match break is hotter.
