Business as usual, no big changes.
Despite the scenario of an early K League 2 title clinching, Busan I-Park wants to take it easy.
Busan is sitting in first place with two games left in the regular season. With 69 points, they are only two points behind second-place Gimcheon Commerce (67 points).
The team has changed quite a bit in a year. Busan handed the reins over to Park Jin-seop, who replaced Ricardo Perez, who was sacked midway through last season due to poor performance, and within a year, the team has improved. He has been able to instill confidence in a squad that had a “defeat mentality,” while also putting his own stamp on the team.
His leadership is also noteworthy. Park has taken the initiative to build a strong team both internally and externally. Instead of relying on a single player, he has built Busan into the team it is today through organizational strength and gentle leadership. And Park is a coach who has been there, done that. He led Gwangju FC to direct promotion in 2019, and will be looking for his second promotion with Busan.
This is thanks in part to a strong summer transfer window. He brought in a number of K League 1 veterans, including Park Dong-jin, Min Sang-ki, and Summer, and it’s paying off. The numbers speak for themselves. Busan is the second-lowest conceding team in the K League 2 (25), behind Gimpo (24). The team has scored 49 goals in 34 games, a marked increase from last season (40 goals in 34 games). 캡틴토토
Momentum is good. Busan hasn’t lost the lead since September 3. At the beginning of the season, Gimpo, Anyang, Gimcheon, and Gyeongnam were battling for the top spot, but after falling to seventh place at one point, Busan has surged to a frightening momentum. In their last nine games, they have won eight and drawn one. The team is calmly preparing for the game, chanting ‘business as usual’.
Busan is scheduled to play an away match against the Jeonnam Dragons on the 12th. Gimcheon will play an away match against Gyeongnam FC on the 11th. The outcome of Gimcheon’s match will determine whether Busan can clinch the early K League 2 title. If Gimcheon draws or loses to Gyeongnam, Busan will clinch the title regardless of the outcome of the final round if they beat Jeonnam.
With Gimcheon’s firepower, Busan’s priority is to wrap up the promotion race as quickly as possible. If Busan clinches promotion by winning the K League 2 title, they will return to the K League 1 for the first time in four years since 2020.
However, Jeonnam is not to be taken lightly. Jeonnam boasts a formidable offense this season, led by foreigner Valvidia. It’s going to be a tough game for Jeonnam, as they need to secure points to keep their promotion hopes alive.
