Gwangju vs Pohang Steelers

Gwangju and Pohang Steelers are set to trade tackles at the Gwangju Football Stadium in a handsomely-looking K League 1 showdown.

Last season’s 3rd-place finish looks like a distant memory for Gwangju amidst the club’s underwhelming start to the 2024 campaign (W5, D1, L8). Stranded ten points below the current 3rd-place holders Gimcheon Sangmu, the hosts come into this round having won just once in their last four league outings (W1, D1, L2), alarmingly conceding three goals in both defeats. However, Lee Jung-hyo’s men can find comfort in the knowledge four of their five K League 1 victories this season have arrived on home turf. There’s no room for misguided optimism, considering four of their last six home league matches have ended in defeat (W2), all of which saw Gwangju concede multiple goals! 

Visiting Pohang could exploit Gwangju’s defensive woes, just as they have twice in their last three top-flight H2Hs at this venue. But the visitors’ recent form blip raises doubts over their capacity to extend a three-game unbeaten league run against this opposition (W1, D2). After back-to-back victories at the start of May, they’ve gone winless in their last three K League 1 matches (D2, L1), failing to keep a clean sheet on each occasion. That run includes a 1-0 defeat at Suwon on their most recent league travel, which halted their high-flying streak of four consecutive away victories, three of which yielded multi-goal margins! Pohang’s frontline will probably have to pack a punch again if the visitors are to scoop up three points, as they’ve only registered one shutout of six top-flight trips this term.