Suwon Samsung, the ‘mastermind’ of professional soccer’s K League 1, suffered the humiliation of being relegated to the K League 2 (2nd Division) for the first time since its inception in 1995.
Suwon drew 0-0 with Gangwon FC in the last 38 home matches of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Feb. 2.
Suwon, who finished the season in last place (33 points), did not qualify for the promotion playoffs (PO) and suffered a ‘direct relegation’. Next season, the team will have to compete in the K League 2.
Backed by the global giant Samsung, Suwon has won the K League title four times (1998-1999-2004-2008) and the FA Cup five times (2002-2009-2010-2016-2019) since the team’s inception in 1995.
Suwon also has one of the most passionate fan bases in the K League. On that day, 24,932 fans showed up to cheer on the ‘Big Bird’, but it wasn’t enough to prevent relegation.
After finishing the regular season in 10th place (34 points), Gangwon will play the winner of the K League Two Playoffs (PO) for promotion home and away on the 6th and 9th.
Suwon fielded a midfield of Han Seok-jong and Ko Seung-beom in place of Kazuki, who was sent off against Suwon FC in Round 36, and Lee Jong-sung, who accumulated a red card.
Han Seok-jong, who had been out of the lineup due to injury, made his first appearance since June 11 against Incheon United.
Suwon was led by acting head coach Yeom Ki-hoon, while Kangwon was led by head coach Jung Kyung-ho in place of Yoon Jeong-hwan, who was benched due to accumulated cautions.
Kangwon, who dominated the game down the right flank, had the decisive chance in the 33rd minute.
Hwang Moon-ki’s cross from the right was met by Yoo In-soo, who was running toward the doorway, but his left-footed shot was not quite right, so he fell down and finished with his right foot, which hit the post.
Still trailing, Suwon made four substitutions in the early stages of the second half, looking for a change. Long striker Mullich came on, and veteran midfielder Kim Bo-Kyung came on for Han Seok-Jong.
However, the Gangwon goal did not open up anytime soon.
In the 27th minute, Basani’s cross from the right was met by Mulicic with a right-footed volley, but the shot went over the bar.
Suwon’s relegation was cemented in stoppage time when Kim Bo-Kyung’s cross and Ahn Byung-Jun’s header went wide of the post.
Suwon FC and Jeju United played to a 1-1 draw at Suwon Sports Complex.
With 33 points, Suwon FC finished the season in 11th place and escaped the direct relegation zone.
Suwon FC and Suwon had the same number of points (33), but Suwon FC’s superior goal difference earned them the top spot in the standings.
Having avoided the bottom of the table, Suwon FC will host Busan I-Park in the first leg of the promotion PO on June 6 at the same venue.
Jeju, which had already clinched ninth place, ended the season with 41 points.
Suwon FC had gone 1-1-2 against Jeju this season before this day, conceding a whopping eight goals while failing to score a single one.
Suwon had lost three in a row and were desperate for a win against an absolutely weak Jeju side.
Coming into the game with the pressure of immediate relegation on their shoulders, Suwon conceded an early goal to Jeju’s Kim Gun-woong in the fifth minute of the first half.
After Jeon Sung-jin’s left-footed shot from the left penalty area was blocked by goalkeeper Labor Gun’s foot and bounced back, Kim Geon-woong slid it in with his left foot to rattle the net.
With urgency, Suwon FC immediately introduced Lee Seung-woo and Lopez to try and push Jeju in the attacking third, but Jeju made threatening moves in the box.
Suwon FC had their best chance in first-half stoppage time when Lee Young-jae whipped in a free kick from midfield, and Lee Seung-woo, who leaped from the box, met it with a precise header that was saved by goalkeeper Kim Dong-joon.
After recording three shots on goal in the first half and failing to score, Suwon FC equalized in the second half after an all-out attack in the Jeju camp.
Five minutes into the second half, Lee Young-jae found the corner of the net with a sharp left-footed free kick from midfield in front of the goal.
Suwon FC nearly took the lead two minutes later when Lopez unleashed a right-footed shot that went straight at the keeper.
In the 24th minute, Lee Young-jae broke through the opposition defense on the left side of the penalty area, but his left-footed shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
Suwon FC held on to avoid the bottom spot until the 43rd minute when Jeju’s Jonatan Ling’s free kick hit the crossbar and ricocheted off Naga’s chest.
At the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, FC Seoul and Daejeon Hana Citizen battled to a 2-2 draw.
Seoul took the lead through Kang Sung-jin in the sixth minute of the first half, but Thiago scored his 17th goal of the season in the 21st minute to equalize.
Seoul regained the lead in the 16th minute of the second half as Kang Sung-jin completed his multi-goal performance. However, Daejeon’s Shin Sang-sang equalized just before the end of the match.
Seoul finished the season in seventh place in the K League 1 with 55 points, while Daejeon finished in eighth place with 51 points.
Meanwhile, Ulsan Hyundai’s In-Joo Gyu (17 goals) became the league’s top scorer, as Thiago only added one goal on the day.
According to K League rules, if a player has the same number of goals, the player with the fewest goals is awarded the title, taking into account the number of games played and the number of minutes played.
Prior to this game, In-Joo and Thiago had played 35 games apiece, but In-Joo (2,543 minutes) had played far fewer minutes than Thiago (2,730).
Although they both scored the same number of goals, In-joo ended up winning the title of top scorer. 토토사이트