Gangwon FC, in danger of relegation, fights again to remain.
Gangwon, led by coach Yoon Jeong-hwan, will play against Daejeon Hana Citizen in the 36th round of 'Hana One Q K League 1 2023' held at Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 11th. This is the first game after the FA Cup break. Gangwon is currently in 11th place with 4 wins, 15 draws, 16 losses, and 27 points, while Daejeon is in 8th place with 11 wins, 14 draws, 10 losses, and 47 points.
Gangwon is currently in a fierce battle to get out of last place with 12th place Suwon Samsung by 1 point. In fact, Gangwon's remaining goal is to avoid automatic relegation in a situation where it has become difficult to rise in the rankings. With three games remaining, Gangwon has a slight advantage in the remaining schedule. Gangwon and Suwon Samsung will meet in the final 38th round, but before that, Gangwon will face Daejeon-Suwon FC, and Suwon Samsung will face Suwon FC-FC Seoul. While Gangwon has a game against Daejeon, which has already confirmed its stay, Suwon Samsung has burdensome games remaining, such as the Suwon derby and the super match.
As they have a relatively easy schedule before the final match against Suwon Samsung, the best scenario for Gangwon is to secure 11th place early. For that to happen, victory in this match against Daejeon is essential. Of course, Daejeon is not an easy opponent. They have met three times this season and have never won with 1 draw and 2 losses, and while Gangwon is undefeated in the last 5 consecutive games (3 draws and 2 losses), Daejeon is undefeated in the last 6 games in a row (2 wins, 4 draws). Moreover, it is a game held at Daejeon's home, and Daejeon, with leading scorer Thiago (16 goals), has the upper hand in terms of power.
But now we must not make any excuses. Gangwon is 4 goals behind Suwon Samsung in terms of goals, so if Gangwon loses, there is a high possibility that their ranking will be reversed. It does not seem easy for Gangwon, whose average score per game this season is only 0.77, to overturn the 4-goal gap in the remaining 3 games. In other words, Gangwon must beat Suwon Samsung by points.
In order to accumulate points, you need to take advantage of your strong motivation. Gangwon players, who are pushed to the edge, need to show more fighting spirit. Although they ended up with a draw after conceding a goal in extra time in the second half, they need a performance similar to that against Jeju United in the 35th round.