Seoul vs Seongnam

Seoul World Cup Stadium is the venue as mid-table Seoul and rock-bottom Seongnam go head-to-head in a high-stakes K League 1 encounter.

Though we are only 14 matchdays into the season, Seoul’s search for their first domestic title since 2016 already looks far-fetched. A morale-crushing 1-0 defeat away to Gangwon last time out has not only halted Seoul’s six-match unbeaten league streak (W3, D3), but it has also left them hanging a staggering 13 points adrift of pacesetters Ulsan Hyundai. Back at home, where they’ve won their last three K League 1 fixtures by an aggregate score of 6-1, An Ik-soo’s men will be looking to put the Gangwon fiasco behind them and potentially extend their two-game unbeaten home run against Seongnam (W1, D1). To achieve that feat, Seoul would be better off flying out of the traps, as they’ve failed to win both home league games in which they conceded first this term (D1, L1).

On the other hand, Seongnam thought they were on the cusp of picking up only their second league win of the season against Suwon last time out, only to see their 2-0 lead turn into a frustrating 2-2 draw. Yet, that has at least put an end to their underwhelming five-game losing K League 1 streak. Interestingly, Seongnam have scored one more goal in their 2-2 draw with Suwon than in their five previous league outings combined (1). Worryingly, though, Seongnam’s defensive frailties have seen them fail to keep a clean sheet in their last ten league fixtures since a goalless home draw with non-other than Seoul in mid-March. Away from home, Kim Nam-il’s lads have lost four of their five K League 1 games this term (W1), drawing a blank in three of them.