Key Matches in the Key Races: Alternative K League 1 Round 25 Preview

The key matches for the 2025 Hana Bank K League 1 Round 24 feature two crucial encounters. The first is FC Seoul versus Daegu FC on Friday, August 8th at 19:30. Following a friendly against Barcelona, FC Seoul shifts focus to securing a top-four league position, bolstered by a strong recent run of six wins in 13 games. They face a struggling Daegu FC side that has only won three matches all season, is on a three-game losing streak, and hasn't won in 14 matches since May 3rd. This match is vital for the top-four race, as Seoul's rivals for AFC Champions League Elite qualification cannot afford dropped points. Daegu, meanwhile, is 13 points adrift of 11th place, leaving manager Kim Byung-soo with a significant challenge to even reach the relegation playoffs. Seoul won the season's first two meetings, including a dramatic comeback victory. A win here could help Seoul gain ground, though they need to score five or more goals to move up a place immediately. Scoring remains an issue for Seoul, with only 27 goals (fourth-lowest in the league) despite a league-high expected goals (xG) of 39.7, suggesting potential improvement. Daegu's defense is weak, with the league's highest expected goals against (xGA) of 40.8 and most goals conceded (45).

The second key match is Pohang Steelers against Gwangju FC on Sunday, August 10th at 19:00. Both teams are battling inconsistency that threatens their top-six aspirations, with only four points separating sixth from tenth place. Pohang returned to winning ways last match with a narrow 1-0 win over last-place Daegu, but had lost their three previous games. Gwangju is also winless in their last three and manager Lee Jung-hyo aims to avoid a repeat of last year's poor finish. Both sides have negative goal differences, highlighting problems in both scoring and conceding. Pohang has been particularly leaky defensively, conceding 12 goals in their last four matches. Gwangju faces the challenge of potentially missing leading scorer Jasir Asani, though their last four wins were by single goals, and Asani didn't score in three of them. Gwangju won their last visit to Pohang with a Park In-hyeok goal.