Jeonbuk Hyundai is aiming for its second win of the season without Companio.
Jeonbuk will face Pohang in the 'Hana Bank K League 1 2025 Round 5' at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on the 16th at 4:30 p.m. With 1 win, 1 draw, and 2 losses, Jeonbuk is in 10th place. They must defeat Pohang to climb to the mid-table.
The key issue was the participation of striker Companio, who has scored two goals in the league. Companio did not accompany the team to Sydney due to a minor injury. Ultimately, Companio was excluded from the squad for the match against Pohang.
In a 4-3-3 formation, Jeonbuk will rely on Jeon Jin-woo, Park Jae-yong, and Jeon Byeong-kwan for the attack. In the midfield are Lee Young-jae, Han Guk-young, and Kang Sang-yoon, while the defense consists of Kim Tae-hyun, Yeon Jae-won, Park Jin-seop, and Kim Tae-hwan. The goalkeeper is Song Bum-keun.
Pohang will respond with a 4-3-3 formation. Their front three will consist of Jo Jae-hoon, Lee Ho-jae, and Kim In-sung, with Kim Jong-woo, Oberdan, and Han Chan-hee in midfield. The defense includes Lee Tae-seok, Jeon Min-gwang, Aspro, and Shin Kwang-hoon, while the goalkeeper is Hwang In-jae.
For Jeonbuk, overcoming collective fatigue is crucial. On the 13th, Jeonbuk lost 2-3 against the home team Sydney FC in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League 2. Jeonbuk was eliminated with an aggregate score of 2-5.
Han Guk-young and Kim Tae-hwan, who did not accompany the team on the trip to Australia, have returned to the starting lineup. The Jeonbuk squad, which returned from Sydney on the 14th, must raise their condition in just two days to face Pohang. While Jeonbuk boasts a strong squad, the schedule is challenging.
Pohang is also in a difficult situation. Injured Wandelson is absent from the roster. Jorge is awaiting on the bench.
This season, Pohang has started off weakly, with 1 draw and 2 losses, sitting at the bottom. Pohang suffered a 0-3 defeat to Daejeon in their opening match and lost 1-2 to Gangwon in a comeback. With the AFC Champions League schedule overlapping, Pohang is struggling with condition management.
Pohang has scored only 1 goal in the last three matches, raising concerns about their lack of offense. Lee Ho-jae's goal was their only point. It remains to be seen if Pohang can score against Jeonbuk in their away game.
[OSEN]