Ulsan Hyundai vs Gimcheon Sangmu

Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium sets the stage for a top-half K League 1 encounter between Ulsan Hyundai and Gimcheon Sangmu. 

It’s not been the title-defending campaign Ulsah had been hoping for after winning three consecutive titles, but they can still make up for a clumsy 16-game start (W7, D4, L5). A lack of consistency has seen the reigning champions alternate between drawing (2) and winning (2) across their four league games since losing 2-0 to upcoming rivals Gimcheon in late April. Keen to settle the score, Kim Pan-gon’s men return home following a 1-1 draw at Gangwon, aiming to improve their indifferent league form at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium this season (W3, D2, L3). However, they’ve emerged victorious from just one of their last five home league matches (D2, L2), failing to score more than once on three occasions. The hosts can take confidence from beating Gimcheon in five of their eight H2Hs at home (D3) since their last loss in this match-up in March 2018.

On the other hand, Gimcheon’s spirits have taken several hits in the build-up to this trip, as they followed a dismal cup exit to second-tier Bucheon with a 1-1 home league draw against Jeju United. Despite blowing hot and cold across their last three K League 1 matches (W1, D1, L1), the visitors commenced this round only a point adrift of their hosts. Overtaking Ulsan in the table will require Gimcheon to post back-to-back away league wins for the first time this season after a 4-0 rout of Gangwon on their last top-flight travel. However, that victory only maintained a worrying trend of alternating between victories (3) and defeats (L2) across their five most recent league contests.