Bucheon vs FC Seoul Predictions
Bucheon welcome FC Seoul to Bucheon Stadium for a K League 1 contest on Sunday.
The newly promoted hosts are no pushovers, but Seoul’s superb away record should prove the difference this weekend.
An away win is my best bet at Bucheon Stadium.
Seoul Backed on the Road
- Bucheon lost 2 of their last 4 home matches
- Bucheon scored an average of 0.75 goals per game in their last 8 home matches (KL1)
- FC Seoul won 7 of their last 9 away matches
- FC Seoul scored an average of 1.77 goals per game in their last 9 away matches (KL1)
Seoul Dominate H2H Record
Bucheon and FC Seoul have met on two previous occasions. Seoul won both games, including a comfortable 3-0 KL1 win when they met earlier this season.
Bucheon Prove Difficult to Beat
Bucheon extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a 1-1 draw at Gimcheon Sangmu last weekend. Jae-hyeon Go opened the scoring for the home side before Dong-kyu Baek rescued a point for the KL1 newcomers.
Despite being on the back foot for much of the contest, Lee Young-min’s side remained dangerous on the counter-attack. Bucheon had only 30% possession but still finished with ten efforts on goal and an xG of 1.35.
While unbeaten in four, the hosts have struggled to find much winning form this season. Young-min’s men failed to win eight of their last ten KL1 fixtures.
Short on firepower, particularly at home, the Reds scored just six goals in eight league games at Bucheon Stadium this season. Bucheon won just one of those fixtures (W1, D4, L3).
Seventeen games into their maiden KL1 campaign, Young-min’s side sit ninth in the division with 17 points on the board.
Seoul Maintain Strong Form
FC Seoul arrive at Bucheon Stadium after a goalless draw against Gangwon FC in their previous K League 1 fixture.
Despite enjoying 59% possession, the Dark Red Warriors were uncharacteristically toothless in front of goal. Seoul’s ten efforts on goal generate an xG of just 0.45.
Kim Gi-dong’s side had won their previous three matches, defeating Incheon United 1-0, Daejeon Hana Citizen 2-1 and Gwangju FC 1-0.
The KL1 leaders have done their best work on the road this season. The Dark Red Warriors picked up 61% of their total points collected in away fixtures.
Top scorers in the division, Seoul scored 16 goals while winning seven of nine KL1 games on their travels this season.
Bucheon vs FC Seoul Team News
Bucheon (3-4-3): Hyung-Keun Kim; Sung-Wook Hong, Dong-Gyu Baek, Patrick; Thiaguinho Santos, Sang-Jun Kim, Shin Seong, Tae-Hyun An; Min-Jun Kim, Vitor Gabriel, Galego.
Lee Young-min is unlikely to deviate from the selection that picked up a draw against Gimcheon last weekend.
Galego, top scorer with four goals this season, is expected to spearhead the hosts' three-pronged attack.
FC Seoul (4-4-2): Sung-Yun Gu; Jun Choi, Yazan Abu Al-Arab, Juan Antonio, Jin-Su Kim; Seung-Won Jung, Jeong-Beom Son, Hrvoje Babec, Seon-Min Moon; Anderson Oliveira, Patryk Klimala.
Kim Gi-dong could consider one or two changes after last weekend’s frustrating goalless draw against Gangwon.
Min-kyu Song is expected to replace Seon-Min Moon after coming on at half-time against Gangwon, while Lee Seung-mo could also earn a recall.