K-League Playoff Race Heats Up

The playoff race is heating up in the K-League season’s second half.

The two teams with the best record in the first and second halves of the season, respectively, and the two teams with the best comprehensive record from the two halves of the season combined will advance into the playoffs.

Busan I-Park, the team with the best first-half record this year, has already secured a playoff spot.

Get the remaining three tickets to the playoffs!-

Sungnam Ilhwa, which has taken the second-half lead in the league with five consecutive victories, is most likely to win the second half championship. Sungnam has remained in the top spot in the second season of the league with eight wins, one draw and one defeat (25 points), holding off Bucheon SK, which has recorded seven wins, one draws, two defeats for 22 points.

The team has no room for a let up, however, as its remaining matches are with strong challengers like Ulsan Hyundai (November 6) and the Pohang Steelers (November 9). Another concern for Sungnam is the vacuum left by Kim Do-hoon, the team’s main scorer who has recently injured his toe.

Bucheon, which is chasing Sungnam for the second-half championship, can win it if it wins its upcoming matches with Busan (November 6) and Daejon Citizen (November 9), and if Sungnam loses the rest of its games.

Incheon United is playing for the top spot in the comprehensive rankings for the first and second halves of the season. Its comprehensive record is 12 wins, six draws and four defeats for a point total of 42.

Ulsan (12 wins, three draws and seven defeats; 39 points) and Pohang (11 wins, six draws and six defeats; 39 points), which rank third and fourth in the comprehensive rankings, respectively, are also seeking to make the playoffs based on their comprehensive season records.

In the individual top scorer rankings, Park Ju-young (FC Seoul) is in first place with 11 goals, followed by Dudu (Sungnam) and Sandro (Daegu FC) with 10 goals each.

Won-Hong Lee bluesky@donga.com