In pursuit of their third consecutive title in the top South Korean football league, Ulsan HD FC will be fired up for their upcoming matchup against their closest pursuer, head coach Kim Pan-gon said Wednesday. Kim and captain Kim Kee-hee attended the K League 1 media day for the top six teams in the table, grouped in "Final A" for the last stretch of the season. After 33 matches, the league's 12 clubs have been split into Final A and Final B, and they will now play five more matches within their groups to finish the season. Ulsan defeated second-place Gimcheon Sangmu FC 2-1 in their 33rd match on Oct. 6, and opened up a five-point lead over Gimcheon, 61-56, as a result. Head coaches of the top-six clubs in the K League 1 pose with the championship trophy during the media day in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2024. From left: Kim Gi-dong of FC Seoul, Yoon Jong-hwan of Gangwon FC, Kim Pan-gon of Ulsan HD FC, Chung Jung-yong of Gimcheon Sangmu FC, Park Tae-ha of Pohang Steelers, and Kim Eun-jung of Suwon FC. (Yonhap) He ad coaches of the top-six clubs in the K League 1 pose with the championship trophy during the media day in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2024. From left: Kim Gi-dong of FC Seoul, Yoon Jong-hwan of Gangwon FC, Kim Pan-gon of Ulsan HD FC, Chung Jung-yong of Gimcheon Sangmu FC, Park Tae-ha of Pohang Steelers, and Kim Eun-jung of Suwon FC. (Yonhap) And following an international break, the two clubs will renew their rivalry on Saturday. With a victory this weekend, Ulsan will pull ahead of Gimcheon by eight points with four matches to go -- a gap not mathematically insurmountable but certainly difficult to overcome. "That will be the most important match for us in the final phase," Kim said. "Gimcheon are a well-organized club with great energy. We've had some difficult moments against them this year. But we will do whatever it takes to win that match and stomp on them on our way to the top." Gimcheon head coach Chung Jung-yong shot back that his team will have the last laugh. "I bet the four other teams here will be ro oting for us to beat UIlsan," Chung said. "Coach Kim can play his dominant style of football but we'll be the one walking away with the win." Gangwon FC are in third place with 55 points, within striking distance of Ulsan. They were in first place briefly in the summer before allowing Ulsan to overtake them, but head coach Yoon Jong-hwan said the battle is just beginning. Players representing the top-six clubs in the K League 1 pose with the championship trophy during the media day in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2024. From left: Jesse Lingard of FC Seoul, Hwang Mun-ki of Gangwon FC, Kim Kee-hee of Ulsan HD FC, Kim Min-duk of Gimcheon Sangmu FC, Kim Jong-woo of Pohang Steelers, and Lee Yong of Suwon FC. (Yonhap) Players representing the top-six clubs in the K League 1 pose with the championship trophy during the media day in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2024. From left: Jesse Lingard of FC Seoul, Hwang Mun-ki of Gangwon FC, Kim Kee-hee of Ulsan HD FC, Kim Min-duk of Gimcheon Sangmu FC, Kim Jong-woo of Pohang Steelers, and Lee Y ong of Suwon FC. (Yonhap) Gangwon are trying to become the first citizen-owned club to win a K League 1 title. "I will be cheering for Gimcheon, so that it will narrow the gap between us and Ulsan," Yoon said with a smile. "It will give us a chance to write history." It will be difficult for the three clubs below Gangwon -- Pohang Steelers, FC Seoul and Suwon FC -- to catch Ulsan at the top, but they still have plenty at stake. The K League 1 champion and the Korea Cup champion will each grab direct tickets to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite tournament for next season. The K League 1 runner-up will play in a playoff for the AFC Champions League Elite, and the third-place team will end up in the second-tier AFC Champions League 2. If the Korea Cup champion finishes outside the top five in the K League 1, then the top-two K League 1 clubs will earn spots in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the third-place team going to the playoff. In this case, the Korea Cup champion will play in the AFC Champions League 2. Jesse Lingard, a former Manchester United player now plying his trade for FC Seoul, said he hasn't abandoned his title hope yet. "It's been five years since we've been in Final A. Coming now to the end of the season, we've worked so hard to get here," he said. "Of course, the Champions League is important but we want to lift the trophy as well. That's still in our sight. We remain confident." Source: Yonhap News Agency
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