The K League 1 Wrap-Up: Daegu FC's Quest For Survival Continues, and The Fight for Final A is Set | OneFootball

After a weekend that set the table for the final day of the regular season, columnist Nathan Sartain recaps all of the talking points from round 32 of the 2025 K League 1 campaign.

A Glimmer of Hope For Jeju SK, A Heap of it For Daegu FC

It’d be fair to say that after receiving four red cards in a 4-3 defeat to Suwon FC, expectations were low for Jeju SK hosting the league leaders Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. And, while a battling 1-1 draw isn’t the perfect response to last weekend’s drama, this performance certainly indicated the Tangerines are still firmly up for the relegation fight they find themselves in.

From the start Jeju looked lively, pressing from the front and forcing Jeonbuk into some quick thinking. But once the Green Warriors found a foothold they capitalised, taking the lead via a calm Tiago Orobo finish, before going onto fashion a number of other decent opportunities prior to the half-time whistle. In the second period, momentum then ebbed and flowed, with both boxes seeing plenty of action and each keeper kept busy. Yet it was Jeju who found their clinical touch at a crucial moment, equalising in the 97th-minute by way of a composed Nam Tae-hee half volley.

In short, although this isn’t the win Jeju will still crave, the manner of this draw certainly allows for optimism to creep back in.

Moving on, Daegu FC continued their own improvements, and maintained chances of potentially earning a promotion/relegation playoff spot come season’s end with a dramatic 3-2 away victory against Gwangju FC. Initially two goals ahead thanks to a retaken Cesinha penalty and incisive counter attack capped off by a Jeong Jae-sang tap-in, the Sky Blues looked sharp in the final third, while defensively compact enough to ward off the home side’s pressure from open play.

Nevertheless, two well-struck penalties for Gwangju brought them back level by the 51st-minute, and allowed the Griffins room to regain both confidence and composure in attacking areas as they sought out a winner. That was until a red card to Jin Si-woo returned the initiative to Daegu, though. And, eventually, Sky Blues’ favourite Cesinha would seal the three points for the visitors with his second penalty of the match (and the fourth overall across proceedings), his 95th-minute strike closing the gap on Jeju to just six points.

Trouble for Ulsan HD?

Now winless in seven league games, Ulsan HD sit 10th in the table, one point away from automatic safety. On one hand, it shows how competitive Korea’s top-flight can be, given that two of its most successful clubs have been drawn into relegation scraps in back-to-back years. On the other hand, however, it raises concerning alarm bells on how Ulsan have gone from winning the title three seasons in a row, to struggling for any sort of form, particularly from summer onwards.

In a 3-0 defeat to second-place Gimcheon Sangmu, the Horangi were toothless, consistently struggling with the military side’s pressure, looking susceptible to errors, whilst unable to muster consistent efforts of their own. The silver lining for Ulsan is that the player of the match, and arguably player of the season, Lee Dong-gyeong will return to the club at the end of this month, where he will undoubtably find a role in the reigning champion’s starting eleven to potentially propel them to safety in the final few games of the campaign.

Final A Final Day Permutations

With a comeback 1-1 draw against Suwon FC, FC Seoul have essentially guaranteed a Final A spot for themselves. Bluntly speaking, the only way their place in the top-half could be lost is if in round 33 Seoul lose, both Gangwon FC and Gwangju FC win, and the latter team outscores Kim Gi-dong’s men by at least eight goals. So, it’s highly unlikely, albeit not technically impossible.

Keeping that in mind, Seoul will be content with their stalemate today, given the end-to-end action that tended to favour the hosts from a chance creation standpoint, but the visitors when it came to possession. In terms of notable moments, Cho Young-wook’s excellently cushioned equaliser deserves plenty of plaudits, as does Luan Dias for his fast-paced near post strike. Touching on Suwon FC in general, they are now one point ahead of Ulsan HD going into the final round of the regular season, which for them comes in the form of an away fixture against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

To cover the far more realistic race for Final A, Gangwon FC’s 1-1 draw against FC Anyang means the Bears simply need to match Gwangju’s round 33 result should they wish to secure a place in the top-half. Jung Kyung-ho’s men might feel this weekend was a missed opportunity, however, given they limited the Violets well and attacked with real purpose to find the opener, only to end up dropping points from a defensive mix-up late in the day. Nevertheless, Gangwon have the privilege of controlling their own fate coming into the end of the regular season, where they travel to face the in-form bottom-place Daegu FC.

A Quick Note on Daejeon Hana Citizen

Continuing to rediscover their rhythm at a key point in the year, Daejeon Hana Citizen ran out 3-1 victors at the Steelyard to increase the Purples’ gap on Pohang Steelers to four points. In a game of few genuine chances, Hwang Sun-hong’s men were clinical when it mattered, and may well get to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite come season’s end.

That’s all for this week! After an international break the regular season will conclude on Saturday 18th October, where every game kicks off at 14:00 KST.