'Ice-skating' promotion battle: Can 'Lee Jeong-hyo' break Suwon's draw streak... First two-week break → Clash with Cheonan

*This content was translated by AI.

Suwon Samsung, which enjoyed a sweet two-week break at the start of the season, is regrouping and igniting the fire of chasing the top spot at home. Under manager Lee Jeong-hyo, Suwon aims to turn the tide against Cheonan City FC, whose recent form has been inconsistent.

Suwon will face Cheonan at 4:30 p.m. on the 25th in a Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 13 home match at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

This round is a crucial turning point that will determine the standings at the top. Currently, Suwon sits in third place with 23 points, trailing behind first-place Busan IPark (28 points in 12 matches) and second-place Seoul E-Land (23 points in 13 matches).

There is no room for complacency even within the top six. Fourth-place Hwaseong FC (22 points in 13 matches), along with fifth-place Suwon FC and Daegu FC (both 21 points in 12 matches), are closely chasing the top positions.

Suwon surged with five consecutive wins immediately after the season opener, showcasing overwhelming momentum. However, they suffered one draw and one loss against Cheongju in Chungbuk and Gimpo FC, causing a brief slowdown. They quickly bounced back by defeating Gyeongnam FC and Busan in succession, securing two more wins. Yet, their momentum waned after losing 1-3 to Suwon FC in the Suwon derby and drawing 0-0 against Daegu. Although the gap with top-ranked Busan seemed to widen, Busan's 2-3 loss to Hwaseong FC in the previous round gave Suwon another chance to close the gap.

Operating under an odd-numbered team system this season, which means one team rests each round, Suwon took a break last week and is now burning with determination to hunt for points.

This two-week break is expected to be a tonic for Suwon. With no travel during the break and all preparations made at the club house, Hong Jeong-ho, the key and leader of the defense who had been somewhat fatigued, has fully recovered his condition. Injured players including Song Ju-hoon and Fesin have also returned to training. Manager Lee Jeong-hyo focused during the break on refining tactical precision and improving the finishing ability of the attackers. However, the likely season-ending knee surgery of striker Kim Ji-hyun is a painful setback.

Cheonan, traveling away, faces a team known for its formidable defense. After a disappointing start with three draws and one loss in their first four matches of the season, Cheonan began a formidable upward trend with three wins and two draws, starting from their victory against Jeonnam Dragons.

Cheonan, who had been on an unbeaten run of seven matches (three wins, four draws) — the most in the club's history — recently suffered a 0-1 loss to Busan IPark and a 0-0 draw against Paju Frontier, resulting in two consecutive matches without a win (one draw, one loss), which has dampened their momentum.

However, they have built a solid back line, conceding only 10 goals — the second fewest in the league. The biggest viewing point of this match is how Suwon, which has often struggled to break through compact defenses, will devise an attacking solution against Cheonan's thick defensive wall.

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*This content was translated by AI.