Reporter Jeongbin Lee = As the K-League 2 season nears its end, Managing Director Kim Cheon shouts ‘Again 2021’. Gimcheon, whose offensive power has revived since coach Jeong Jeong-yong took office, dreams of direct promotion once again after the 2021 season based on overwhelming home performance.
Gimcheon, who had been selected as a strong candidate for promotion to K League 1 before the season, is racing toward promotion, leaving behind the pain of last season’s relegation. In the midst of a fierce battle with leader Busan I’Park, there are only three league games left. Gimcheon is aiming for a last-minute upset given that two of the remaining three games will be held at home.
This season, Gimcheon took the lead in this category by scoring 36 points in home games. In 16 games played at home, they won 11 times and lost only twice. Among the 13 teams in K League 2, Gimcheon is the only one to record double-digit wins at home. They also have the fewest defeats, along with Busan, with 2 losses, and their excellent home performance is becoming the driving force in the competition for promotion.
They got off to a bitter start with a loss to Gyeongnam FC in their home opener, but after coach Jeong Jeong-yong took office at the end of May, they posted impressive home results. In the last 11 home games, Gimcheon recorded 8 wins and 3 draws without a loss, making them ‘undefeated at home’. During this period, Gimcheon scored 31 points and conceded only 8 goals.
With an impressive offense and defense balance, they turned Gimcheon Stadium into a graveyard for the away team. Gimcheon, which displayed overwhelming firepower at home, is the only K League 2 team this season to surpass the 30-goal mark at home. Even though the away team lowered their defense to an extreme level to block Gimcheon’s firepower, it was no use. Gimcheon boasts such strong destructive power that it has played only 9 games with 3 or more goals at home.
How did coach Jeong Jeong-yong, who led the team’s upward trend, view Gimcheon’s home strength? Before the 25th round match against Seoul E-Land, coach Jeong Jeong-yong said, “Everyone hates losing at home. The mental part is different. “Those parts come together to create results.” It was the result of a combination of the players’ mental strength and the fans’ passionate support.
Even though main gun Cho Young-wook left, the firepower at home remained the same. They achieved multiple-goal victories in both FC Anyang and Bucheon FC matches held in September. They faced two difficult teams and scored 4 and 3 goals, respectively, based on their solid organizational skills. Players who mainly played as substitutes, such as Politician and Lee Young-jun, gained momentum by happily hitting the net in front of the home fans.
Gimcheon’s home upward trend raises expectations of promotion. Since the promotion and relegation system was introduced, the teams with the No. 1 home record in K League 2 have all achieved promotion, except for Ansan Mugunghwa in 2016 and Asan Mugunghwa in 2018. At the time, the Mugunghwa Football Team also ranked first in K-League 2, but did not qualify for promotion due to issues with re-establishment and suspension of player selection.짱구카지노
Previously, when Gimcheon achieved its first promotion in the 2021 season, home performance was the basis. At that time, Gimcheon gained 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses) in 18 home games, beating Anyang and experiencing the glory of winning the K League 2 championship. If Gimcheon adds one win in the remaining home games, it will surpass Gimcheon’s home record in the 2021 season and become the team with the No. 1 home record this season. The opponents for the remaining home games are Gimpo FC and Seoul E-Land.
Gimcheon fans, who felt the pain of last season’s home performance, are taking an easy step toward Gimcheon Sports Complex after seeing a drastic change this season. Gimcheon’s fighting power to return to the K-League 1 stage after one season is further improving at home.