2026 K League 1 Round 2 Preview
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 K League 1 season continues this Saturday with Round 2. Can Bucheon make it two wins from two as they begin life in the top flight, or will Daejeon be able to pick up their first win of 2026? Anyang will be looking to build on their draw with Daejeon in their home opener with Jeju, while Gimcheon will be aiming to test Jeonbuk's mettle when the champions visit.
Match of the Round
Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen - 16:30 (ENG)
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In Round 2, Bucheon FC 1995 and Daejeon Hana Citizen will face each other for the first time in three and a half years. The two teams last met in August 2022 in K League 2, but will now meet on the K League 1 stage for the first time.
The home side, Bucheon, earned promotion to K League 1 for the first time in the club’s history. In their highly anticipated season opener, they made a strong impression by coming from behind to defeat defending champions Jeonbuk 3–2. Brazilian attacker Jefferson Galego was named Round MVP with two goals and one assist, while Jhon Montaño, who scored the equalizer, and Baek Dong-gyu, who delivered a solid defensive performance, were selected for the Round Best XI. In addition, Bucheon swept the Round Best Team and Best Match honors, completing an outstanding K League 1 debut. Now, Bucheon will attempt to secure back-to-back wins in their first home match of the K League 1 season.
The visiting team, Daejeon, finished as runners-up in K League 1 last season, the best result in the club’s history, and were considered strong title contenders this year after making impressive signings in the transfer market. However, they have had a somewhat slow start, losing 2-0 to Jeonbuk in the Super Cup and drawing 1–1 with Anyang in the season opener. They will now be looking for their first win to find some momentum. Despite failing to win against Anyang, Daejeon showed some positive signs. Their opening goal, finished by Seo Jin-su after a link-up play between Gustav Ludwigson and Joo Min-kyu, was a typical example of Daejeon’s sharp attacking build-up. New foreign striker Diogo also appears to be quickly adapting to the team’s tactics. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Lee Chang-geun displayed stability with four punches, one catch, and a save rate of 83.3%.
Watch live with English commentary on K League TV: here
Team of the Round
FC Anyang (vs. Jeju SK)
FC Anyang picked up a solid point in Round 1 with a 1–1 draw against Daejeon. They faced a crisis after conceding a late penalty just before the final whistle, but goalkeeper Kim Jeong-hoon’s save and the Violets' defense’s composure helped them preserve the valuable point.
Head coach Ryu Byung-hoon announced ahead of the season that the team would play a more proactive style of “zombie football.” Against Daejeon, Anyang attempted bold attacks led by front players Ivan Jukic and Matheus Oliveira, along with the pacey Choi Geon-ju. In particular, in the second half, they pushed their defensive line higher and intensified their pressing, forcing several opponent mistakes and creating multiple chances. It offered a glimpse of Anyang’s sharper attacking play this season.
Defensively, Thomas Oude Kotte, capable of playing multiple positions, formed a three-man back line with Lee Chang-yong and Kwon Kyung-won, providing stability. Despite playing as a defender, Thomas completed 13 passes into attacking areas, effectively serving as a link between defense and attack. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Kim Jeong-hoon, making his Anyang debut, raised expectations for the season with two crucial saves at the death.
Anyang’s Round 2 opponents will be Jeju SK. Last season, Jeju had the upper hand in this fixture with three wins to Anyang's one.
Watch live with English commentary on K League TV: here
Lee Geon-hee, Gimcheon Sangmu (vs. Jeonbuk)
Gimcheon Sangmu drew 1–1 with Pohang Steelers in their season opener. In that match, striker Lee Geon-hee stood out whenever Gimcheon created attacking opportunities.
Lee Geon-hee, who debuted with Seoul E-Land in 2020, uses his strong physique and high work rate to get the better of defenders, and those qualities were evident against Pohang. In the fourth minute, Lee focused movement helped tee up Go Jae-hyun to score his first goal for Gimcheon, reacting quickest to pounce on a loose ball in the box.
In the second half, he made a sharp run into space that led to an opponent’s red card, giving Gimcheon a numerical advantage. With his high work rate, he also completed six forward passes and one key pass. Playing various roles at the front, including shooting, link-up play, and pressing, Lee Geon-hee will once again be one to watch in Round 2.
Gimcheon’s opponent will be Jeonbuk. Last season, the two teams were evenly matched with a 2–2 record in head-to-head results. Attention will be on whether Lee Geon-hee’s strong form can lead Gimcheon to their first win of the season.
2026 K League 1 Round 2 Fixtures
Saturday 7th March
Gwangju FC vs. Incheon United - 16:30Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen - 16:30
Sunday 8th March
Gimcheon Sangmu vs. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors - 14:00FC Anyang vs. Jeju SK - 16:30
Pohang Steelers vs. Gangwon FC is postponed and will be played on Saturday 28th March at 3 PM. Ulsan HD vs. FC Seoul is also postponed, new date and time to be confirmed.
via K League press release