Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors vs. Gwangju – K League 1, October 18, 2020

It is probably fair to say that all games are crucial for Jeonbuk at this stage of the season. But this Sunday’s fixture with Gwangju cannot end in anything but a home win for the Green Warriors.

Gwangju has played well this season, but is the weakest in the Championship group and three points are vital for the home side.

I am not doing Gwangju a disservice here to suggest that the odds for a Yellows win should probably be much higher considering the need for Jeonbuk to put the Pohang defeat behind it and win at home on Sunday. MyBookie has made it so none of the match result bet options look that attractive.

After getting over the minor blip towards the end of the regular season it had looked like it would be a two-horse race between Jeonbuk and Ulsan – with the game between the two at the end of the month the decider for who wins K League 1 this season.

But the home defeat at the hands of Pohang last time out has handed all the advantage back to the Horangi. Jeonbuk manager Jose Morais must now hope that Ulsan experiences a similar hiccup, as the Green Warriors have scored nowhere near as many goals as their main rivals.

There might be a chance for Jeonbuk to make up a few this weekend though. Gwangju has conceded far more than anyone in the top half and has already lost both of its post-split games so far. Finishing in the top six was a real achievement for the club though – and anything else now should be regarded as a bonus.

Personal and professional pride should be on show for the visiting side on Sunday but getting anything from this game with a desperate Jeonbuk will be a tough ask. Gwangju did manage a draw the last time these two played however – and could have actually won that game – so there is always hope.

Blind hope aside, I really can’t see any way that Jeonbuk doesn’t win this one convincingly. With the need for goals as well as points, the Green Warriors absolutely have to go into the game with Ulsan on a level pegging – and a big win against Gwangju on Sunday is just the next step towards that.