Daejeon earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football

▲ Lee Jin-hyun of Daejeon Hana Citizen FC (L) celebrates his goal against Gimcheon Sangmu FC during the clubs' K League promotion-relegation playoff match at Gimcheon Stadium in Gimcheon, 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ Leandro of Daejeon Hana Citizen FC (C) and Ko Seung-beom of Gimcheon Sangmu FC (R) vie for the ball during the clubs' K League promotion-relegation playoff match at Gimcheon Stadium in Gimcheon, 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2022, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ Oh Hyeon-gyu of Suwon Samsung Bluewings (R) scores against FC Anyang during the clubs' K League promotion-relegation playoff match at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ Suwon Samsung Bluewings players and coaches celebrate their 2-1 victory over FC Anyang in the second leg of their K League promotion-relegation playoffs at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2022. (Yonhap)

football-promotion

Daejeon earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- After eight years of toiling in the second division in South Korean football, Daejeon Hana Citizen FC will be playing with the big boys in 2023.

Daejeon routed Gimcheon Sangmu FC 4-0 in the second leg of their K League promotion-relegation playoffs Saturday at Gimcheon Stadium in the southeastern town of Gimcheon. Daejeon won 6-1 on aggregate to secure a spot in the top-tier K League 1 for 2023.

Lee Jin-hyun scored twice for Daejeon, while Kim In-gyun and Kim Seung-sub chipped in a goal apiece.

Daejeon had spent the past seven seasons in the K League 2. They had lost to Gangwon FC in the promotion-relegation playoffs last year.

Gimcheon had been promoted from the K League 2 just last year and will now be back in the lower division.

In last year's playoffs, Daejeon only needed a draw in the second leg to book a spot in the K League 1 but lost 4-1. This time, there was no such meltdown, with Lee opening the scoring in the 31st and then adding to that lead in the 53rd.

The insurance goals came in the 74th and 84th minutes.

Gimcheon outshot Daejeon 10-9 and held a 63-37 edge in ball possession, but were unable to put one past goalkeeper Lee Chang-geun.

In the day's other playoff match, Suwon Samsung Bluewings defeated FC Anyang 2-1 to stay in the K League 1 for next year. The two teams had a scoreless draw in the first leg Wednesday.

Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the go-ahead goal in extra time at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, just south of Seoul, and saved one of the K League's marquee clubs from the ignominy of playing in the second division for the first time.

By finishing 10th and 11th in the 12-team K League 1, respectively, Gimcheon and Suwon dropped to the promotion-relegation playoffs. Daejeon reached the playoffs after finishing in second place in the K League 2, while Anyang qualified for the playoffs after getting through an earlier K League 2 playoff.

The worst team in the K League 1 this year, Seongnam FC, suffered direct relegation to the K League 2 and traded places with the K League 2 champions, Gwangju FC.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved