Key Matches in the Key Races: Alternative K League 1 Round 27 Preview

The 2025 K League 1 season can be broken into a handful of key races, perhaps even fewer for those who see the title race more or less sewn up, and the automatic relegation spot firmly in one team's hands. But what are the key matches in the key races this weekend? An alternative preview looking ahead to 2025 Hana Bank K League 1 Round 27.

Jeonbuk may be 17 points clear at the top of the table, and Daegu FC may be 17 points adrift from absolute safety, but there's still plenty to play for in K League 1 this season.  Just five points separate sixth from 10th heading into Round 27, and six separate second from fifth.

Daegu FC (12th) vs. Jeju SK (10th)

Saturday 23rd August - 19:00

If Daegu FC are to end their run of 15 matches without a win, then it's most likely to be against a team that also has relegation worries. The Sky Blues face a Jeju SK side this Saturday that has slipped into the bottom three following a run of three without a win. This is a contest that will have an impact on the relegation playoff places and Daegu's bid to avoid falling directly through the trap door. The Sky Blues are 12 points behind FC Anyang in 11th heading into the weekend and simply cannot afford to let that gap widen if Kim Byung-soo and his team are to buy themselves a stay of execution in the playoffs. Jeju, meanwhile, can ill afford to let their winless run extend much further with Suwon FC's upturn in form coming at the wrong time for the islanders. A Jeju win could see them move out of the drop zone, while a Daegu win would close the gap to nine points, albeit perhaps only momentarily with Anyang in action 24 hours later. Daegu's last win came against Jeju at home back in May.

FC Anyang (11th) vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen (3rd)

Sunday 24th August - 19:00

The Violets against the Purples is a fixture that will have an impact on two different key races - the race to avoid relegation and the race to ACL qualification. FC Anyang's poor run of form has seen them drop to second bottom of the table, three points behind 10th and five from absolute safety. If Anyang are not careful, they could end up being cut adrift and resigned to having to run the gauntlet of the playoffs. A big boost for Anyang is the news that Kwon Kyung-won won't be suspended after all, after his red card in the loss to Pohang last time out was rescinded. Daejeon, meanwhile, suffered a dismal defeat to Gwangju FC last time out. The performance was so dire that it prompted boos from the traveling support and left the players talking of a crisis in the dressing room afterwards. Daejeon, these days dressed in jade, look jaded and need to begin to put together a run of results to get their ACL push back on track. A win against a team in the bottom three will be seen as an absolute must. Daejeon beat Anyang in the first meeting of 2025, albeit only just at 2-1, then had to settle for a draw in the second.

FC Seoul (5th) vs. Ulsan HD (7th)

Sunday 24th August - 19:00

Whether is match could be seen as being part of the race for ACL or just the top six is up for debate, given the recent form of both teams. Seoul, in fifth, are now six points behind second, five behind third and what would likely be automatic qualification for the ACLE. Ulsan, after a third loss in five last time out, sit in the bottom half. Seoul suffered a shock 6-2 loss to Gimcheon Sangmu last time out, a match that say Kim Gi-dong's side come back from 2-0 down to draw level only to then go behind again before half time. Gimcheon were able to score six from just eight shots on target. Seoul actually had more of the ball and more shots than Gimcheon, but defensive lapses and goalkeeping errors condemned the capital side to defeat.

Both sets of players will be suffering from dips in confidence, and both will see Sunday's match as a must-win. It's a contest between the two sides with the most possession, with Seoul on 53.6% and Ulsan on 59.35. The two sides also sit in the top two for xG, with Seoul at 44.2 and Ulsan and 43, and in the top three for big chances, with Seoul having created 59 and Ulsan 50. Seoul won the last meeting between the two, which was their first against the Horangi since October 2017, thanks to a goal of the season contender from Jesse Lingard.