[Popotu Kim].
The battle for first and second place is fiercer than ever.
In the 38th round of the K League 2, championship contenders Busan and Gimcheon take on 6th-ranked Jeonnam and 5th-ranked Gyeongnam, respectively, as they look to make the playoffs. The outcome of these two matches could determine the winner of this season’s K-League 2 title and playoffs.
Busan wants to finish in round 38, Gimcheon aims for last-minute upset
Currently, first-place Busan and second-place Gimcheon are separated by two points. If Busan wins against Jeonnam in Round 38 and Gimcheon draws or loses to Gyeongnam, the gap will be more than four points. In this case, Busan will clinch the title regardless of the final round results.
Busan has won eight and drawn one of its last nine games and hasn’t lost a point since September 3. They will use this momentum to challenge for direct promotion by winning the K League 2 title. If Busan succeeds in winning promotion, it will be their first return to the K League 1 in four years since the 2020 season.
Conversely, Gimcheon can take the top spot if they catch Gyeongnam and Busan draws or loses to Jeonnam. If Gimcheon and Busan finish with the same number of points, Gimcheon has a 20-goal goal difference advantage over Busan. Gimcheon is on a five-game winning streak, scoring 19 goals in their last five matches. 토토사이트
□ Gyeongnam aims to make the playoffs for the second year in a row, Jeonnam for the first time in two years
For fifth-place Gyeongnam (53 points), the math is simple. With a three-point gap to sixth-place Jeonnam (50 points), Gyeongnam will qualify for the K League 2 playoffs on its own with a win in Round 38. Even if Gyeongnam and Jeonnam win side by side and the three-point gap remains, they will still be ahead of at least one of the two teams regardless of the outcome, as they face fourth-place Bucheon (54 points) in Round 39. Gyeongnam finished fifth last season and qualified for the K League Two semifinals.
Jeonnam will be looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in two years after the 2021 season. Jeonnam will need to earn at least a draw in Round 38 to keep their hopes alive. A draw would leave them with 51 points, while a win over Bucheon in Round 39 would level the score at 54 points. Jeonnam is 10 goals ahead of Bucheon on goal difference.