Daejeon, Gangwon to face off in promotion-relegation playoff

Daejeon Hana Citizen will face Gangwon FC in a promotion-relegation playoff at Daejeon Hanbat Sports Complex in Daejeon on Wednesday.

Daejeon Hana Citizen players celebrate after drawing with the Jeonnam Dragons in the first round of promotion playoffs on Nov. 3. [YONHAP]

Daejeon Hana Citizen will face Gangwon FC in a promotion-relegation playoff at Daejeon Hanbat Sports Complex in Daejeon on Wednesday.

In the K League, the second-to-last team from the K League 1 compete in a playoff each year with a runner-up from the K League 2. If the K League 2 club win, they are promoted and the K League 1 club relegated. The K League 2 club that compete in that match are determined through a series of earlier playoffs.

The second-to-last K League 1 club are Gangwon FC, who finished five points ahead of last-place Gwangju FC. Daejeon Hana Citizen are the second division club to win a spot in the relegation-promotion playoff, taking a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Anyang FC on Nov. 6.

The match between Daejeon and Anyang was the final playoff before the relegation-promotion decider, and, as Anyang finished higher in the regular season standing, only a win would do for Daejeon. That's exactly what Daejeon did, earning a shot at the promotion playoff.

Daejeon have been on good form throughout the season. They have the second-most goals this season in the K League 2, behind winner Gimcheon Sangmu.

Daejeon also haven't been relying on one high-scorer to do the bulk of the work. Instead, the goals are spread out across different players, which is a good sign for the club. There are more than 10 players who have scored at least two goals this season. Park Jin-sub now has five goals, Won Ki-jong has four, and the best scorer is Masatoshi Ishida, who has nine.

Gangwon and Daejeon will face each other twice, at home and away. Daejeon will be looking for a chance to return to the top tier after seven seasons in the K League 2, while Gangwon will do everything in their power to stay at the top level.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]