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| Pohang Steelers players celebrate their 3-2 victory over Gwangju FC in their K League 1 match at Gwangju Football Stadium. (Photo from KHerald) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] SEOUL: Pohang Steelers will have little time to celebrate a recent victory in a continental tournament, as they gear up for a crucial K League match on Sunday. Pohang knocked out defending champions Ulsan Hyundai FC on penalties to reach the final in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League on Wednesday.
Come Sunday, though, Pohang will find themselves in survival mode in the domestic league, which will return to full activity following an international break. Pohang, along with 11 other K League 1 clubs, will play their final matches on Sunday before they are split into two tiers for the remainder of the season. The top six will end up in "Final A," and the rest will be grouped in "Final B." Teams will then play five matches within their groups to close out the season.
Teams in the upper group will vie for the league title and a spot in next year's AFC Champions League, which will be open to the top three teams in the K League 1 and the Korean FA Cup champions. The two best clubs in the league this year, Ulsan Hyundai FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are so far ahead of the pack -- they have 64 and 63 points, while third-ranked Daegue FC have 49.
