Seongnam vs. FC Seoul – K League 1, October 17, 2020

FC Seoul makes the short trip to the Tancheon Stadium on Saturday to take on an FC Seoul side that has endured a miserable season so far.

With Incheon United improving towards the end of the campaign, both clubs still need points to escape relegation to the second tier.

BetOnline sometimes seems to go by the relative status of the two clubs when it comes to its pricing of games, but it has obviously looked at the form this season when it comes to the odds for this one. Seongnam is a worthy favorite against this Seoul team – but the draw bet might be worth a look too.

It has been another tough season for Seongnam as it has attempted to navigate the top tier of South Korean soccer again. The main problem has been the same as last year – an inability to score goals on a regular basis. The Magpies have the worst record in the league and will always struggle until that changes.

There have also been five defeats in a row now and with just a point separating Seongnam from Incheon United at the bottom of the league, time is running out in the battle against the drop. Suwon and Busan come up after this fixture and there would probably need to be at least one win from the remaining games to ensure safety.

FC Seoul is four points clear with three games to play, so it would seem as though it is just about safe. But the way this season has gone for the capital city club, relegation can definitely not be completely discounted. It has been a terrible campaign and finishing bottom of the league would be the ultimate embarrassment for this club.

AFC Champions League soccer was won last season, but this year has been completely different. It has been four games without a win now – and there have been two defeats in two games in the relegation group fixtures. Morale seems to be at an all time low, but something needs to be done quickly to raise it if the worst is not still to happen.

I feel as though Seongnam probably has the better chance to win this one at home – but that problem scoring goals could come back to haunt them again. There has been just one in the last four games and, although FC Seoul has the worst defensive record in the league, a no score draw could be on the cards.