Playoff-bound teams set in K League 2 with Suwon Samsung stuck for another season
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) — Four playoff-bound teams were set on Saturday in the K League 2 as they vie for promotion to the top competition next year, while a once-proud club will remain in the second division at least for another season.
Regular-season finales were played across the K League 2 on Saturday, and Jeonnam Dragons and Busan IPark finished the campaign in fourth and fifth place. They will meet in a playoff match on Nov. 21, with the winner going on to play No. 3 seed Seoul E-Land FC on Nov. 24.
Jeonnam Dragons players celebrate a goal by Fessou Euloge Placca (No. 58) against Seoul E-Land FC during a K League 2 match at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul on Nov. 9, 2024, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The winner of that contest will then face the 10th-place team from the K League 1 in one of two promotion-relegation playoff matches.
The other playoff match will pit the No. 2 seed from the K League 2, Chungnam Asan FC, against the 11th-ranked team from the K League 1.
FC Anyang clinched the K League 2 title last Saturday and earned a direct promotion to the K League 1 for next season. The last-place team from the K League 1 will suffer a direct relegation to the K League 2.
The K League 1 season will wrap up on Nov. 24.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings, four-time K League champions relegated for the first time this season, ended up in sixth place to just miss out on the playoffs.
They and Busan IPark both had 56 points, but Busan won the goals scored tiebreaker by 55-46.
Suwon had already finished their season last Sunday, and needed one of Jeonnam and Busan to lose on Saturday in order to sneak into the playoffs.
However, both of those clubs won, with Jeonnam beating Seoul E-Land 4-0 and Busan getting past Bucheon FC 1995 3-1.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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