Professional soccer’s K League 2 (2nd Division) Gimcheon Sangmu scored a thrilling upset win in the final round of the regular season to win promotion to the K League 1 (1st Division) for the first time in a season.Gimcheon defeated Seoul Eland 1-0 in the final match of the 39th round of the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 at Gimcheon Sports Complex on the 26th, thanks to Kim Hyun-wook’s goal in the 37th minute.Gimcheon pulled off a thrilling upset to win the title (71 points) as Busan, the leader before the match, dropped to second place (70 points) after a 1-1 draw with Chungbuk Cheongju.After finishing 11th in K League 1 in 2022 and losing in the promotion playoffs (PO), Gimcheon returned to the top division in just one season, continuing a streak of four consecutive seasons of ‘straight promotion after relegation’ – 2013, 2015, and 2021.In all four seasons, Gimcheon won the second division title to earn promotion.Chung, who took over at Gimcheon in May midway through this season, has overseen a title and promotion in less than a season.Chung, who made a name for himself at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup by coaching South Korea to a runner-up finish, underperformed at his first professional club, Eland.In the final round, which kicked off simultaneously at all six venues, Gimcheon struck first. Kim Hyun-wook opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a left-footed shot that beat one defender in front of the goal area.Busan regained the lead on the live scoreboard in the 23rd minute of the second half with a goal from Pesin.
After intercepting a passing error by Jung Jin-wook, Ramas sent a penetrating pass that Pesin finished with a cool left-footed shot to make it 1-0.Gimcheon’s game ended first, and the Gimcheon players stayed on the field to anxiously watch the Busan-Chungbuk Cheongju match on the big screen.Just when it looked like Busan would win the title, Chungbuk Cheongju won a corner kick from the left side in the second half of extra time.In Chungbuk Cheongju’s last attack from the corner kick, Kim Myung-soon sent a cross from the right side, which was difficult for Georges to finish, tying the game at 1-1. In the 49th minute of the second half, the players and coaches of Gimcheon, who had achieved a miraculous victory, cheered and jumped all over the place, while the Busan players shook their heads.Now in second place, Busan will make one last push for promotion through the promotion playoffs (PO) against the 11th-ranked team in K League 1, who will play the final game next weekend.The first leg will be held at the Busan Asiad Stadium on April 6, and the second leg will be held at the home of the 11th-ranked team on April 9.The team that will face the 10th-ranked team in K League 1 in another promotion PO will be decided in the K League 2 PO, where the third- through fifth-ranked teams in K League 2 will compete.Gimpo FC clinched third place early, while Gyeongnam FC, Bucheon FC, and Jeonnam FC survived a 스포츠토토존 last-minute battle for the fourth and fifth spots.