This is the first time that a promoted team has won 2 wins in the first round.
The 2023 season K-League has begun. Starting with ‘defending champion’ Ulsan Hyundai, 5 teams secured 3 points. In particular, both Gwangju FC and Daejeon Hana Citizen, who were promoted from the second division last season, won. Gwangju won a thrilling 1-0 victory at Suwon Samsung, and Daejeon also defeated Gangwon FC 2-0 at home and sounded the score.
Gwangju and Daejeon showed stronger power than expected. In particular, Gwangju overpowered Suwon with coach Lee Jung-hyo’s excellent tactics and mercenary skills. Foreign players such as Asani, Timo, and Sandro did their part, and above all, goalkeeper Kim Kyung-min saved the team with a super save. Daejeon consistently pushed Gangwon and scored two goals in the first half to secure victory. The power of the attacking duo of Leandro and Thiago shined.
It is the first time that both promoted teams have won since the 2013 season when the promotion and relegation system was introduced. First of all, the two teams have been promoted a total of 6 times. Daejeon and Gwangju, which succeeded in promotion in the 2014 season, failed to win the first game of the 2015 season. Daejeon lost (0-1) to Busan I-Park at the time, and Gwangju drew (2-2) with Incheon United. 안전놀이터
In the 2015 season, Sangju Sangmu (now Gimcheon Sangmu) and Suwon FC were promoted to the first division. However, after coming up to the first part of the 2016 season, he recorded 1 win and 1 draw in his first game. Sangju won 2-0 against Ulsan Hyundai, but Suwon FC drew 0-0 with Jeonnam Dragons. In the 2017 season, Gangwon, a promoted team, won Sangju 2-1, but Daegu FC lost 0-1 to Gwangju. In the 2020 season, Gwangju knelt down to Seongnam FC (0-2 loss) and Busan to Pohang Steelers (0-2 loss). In the 2021 season, Jeju United drew Seongnam (0-0 draw) and Suwon FC drew Daegu (1-1 draw).
As such, it is not so easy for a promoted team to rise to the first division and immediately win. The previous promoted team’s first round record is 5 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses. Above all, it has become ‘1+2’ since last season due to changes in the relegation system. There is a lot of pressure from the teams in the middle and lower ranks. The fight for survival will inevitably intensify. This season, the main evaluation is that there is no particularly clear weak team. The two promoted teams showed competitiveness in the first part, and announced that the unprecedented ‘survival’ competition had begun.