Hana 1Q
K League 2
Season2021
Dates27 February – 31 October 2021[1]
ChampionsGimcheon Sangmu
(1st title)
PromotedGimcheon Sangmu
Champions LeagueJeonnam Dragons (via Korean FA Cup)
Matches played180
Goals scored435 (2.42 per match)
Best PlayerAn Byong-jun
Top goalscorerAn Byong-jun
(23 goals)
← 2020
2022 →

The 2021 K League 2 was the ninth season of the K League 2, the second-tier South Korean professional football league. The champions and the winners of the promotion play-offs could be promoted to the K League 1.

Teams

Team changes

Sangju Sangmu was renamed Gimcheon Sangmu and moved its city to Gimcheon before the season.

Relegated from K League 1

Promoted to K League 1

Locations

Team City/Province Abbreviation
Ansan Greeners Ansan Ansan
FC Anyang Anyang Anyang
Bucheon FC 1995 Bucheon Bucheon
Busan IPark Busan Busan
Chungnam Asan Asan Chungnam Asan
Daejeon Hana Citizen Daejeon Daejeon
Gimcheon Sangmu Gimcheon Gimcheon
Gyeongnam FC Gyeongnam Gyeongnam
Jeonnam Dragons Jeonnam Jeonnam
Seoul E-Land Seoul Seoul E

Stadiums

Ansan Greeners FC Anyang Bucheon FC 1995 Busan IPark Chungnam Asan
Ansan Wa~ Stadium Anyang Stadium Bucheon Stadium Busan Gudeok Stadium Yi Sun-sin Stadium
Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 17,143 Capacity: 34,456 Capacity: 12,349 Capacity: 17,376
Daejeon Hana Citizen Gimcheon Sangmu Gyeongnam FC Jeonnam Dragons Seoul E-Land
Daejeon World Cup Stadium Gimcheon Stadium Changwon Football Center Gwangyang Stadium Seoul Olympic Stadium
Capacity: 40,535 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 15,074 Capacity: 13,496 Capacity: 69,950

Personnel and sponsoring

Team Manager Kit manufacturer Main sponsor
Ansan Greeners South Korea Kim Gil-sik Kappa Ansan Government
FC Anyang South Korea Lee Woo-hyung Joma Anyang Government
Bucheon FC 1995 South Korea Lee Young-min Kappa Bucheon Government
Busan IPark Portugal Ricardo Peres Adidas HDC Group
Chungnam Asan South Korea Park Dong-hyuk Mizuno Asan Government
Daejeon Hana Citizen South Korea Lee Min-sung Astore Hana Financial Group
Gimcheon Sangmu South Korea Kim Tae-wan Kelme Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
Gimcheon Government
Gyeongnam FC South Korea Seol Ki-hyeon Hummel Gyeongnam Provincial Government
Jeonnam Dragons South Korea Jeon Kyung-jun Puma POSCO
Seoul E-Land South Korea Chung Jung-yong New Balance E-Land

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing Manner Date Incoming Date Table
Busan IPark South Korea Lee Ki-hyung (caretaker) Caretaker 25 November 2020 Portugal Ricardo Peres 25 November 2020[2] Pre-season

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to five per team, including a slot for a player from AFC and ASEAN countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game.

Military-owned team Gimcheon Sangmu is not allowed to sign any foreign players.

North Korean player An Byong-jun was deemed as a native player in K League by South Korean nationality law and passport.

Players in bold are players who join midway through the competition.[3]

Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player ASEAN player Former player(s)
Ansan Greeners Argentina Santiago De Sagastizabal Brazil Anderson Canhoto Brazil Róbson Duarte Japan Go Iwase Indonesia Asnawi Mangkualam
FC Anyang Brazil Nilson Júnior Costa Rica Jonathan Moya Ghana Maxwell Acosty Japan Ryosuke Tamura
Bucheon FC 1995 Brazil Crislan Japan Wataru Murofushi
Busan IPark Croatia Domagoj Drožđek Cyprus Valentinos Sielis Portugal Renato Santos Australia Ryan Edwards
Chungnam Asan Brazil Alex Sandro Brazil Matheus Alves Japan Ryohei Michibuchi
Daejeon Hana Citizen Brazil Bruno Baio Brazil Matheus Pato Japan Masatoshi Ishida Uzbekistan Ikromjon Alibaev Brazil Edinho
Gyeongnam FC Brazil Hernandes Brazil Willyan
Jeonnam Dragons Brazil Alex Martins Brazil Jonathan Balotelli Nigeria Samuel Nnamani Uzbekistan Oleg Zoteyev
Seoul E-Land Argentina Nicolás Benegas Brazil William Barbio Brazil Leandro Ribeiro Japan Yuki Kobayashi

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Gimcheon Sangmu (C) 36 20 11 5 60 34 +26 71 Promotion to 2022 K League 1
2 FC Anyang 36 17 11 8 51 37 +14 62 Qualification for K League 2 playoff
3 Daejeon Hana Citizen 36 17 7 12 53 48 +5 58 Qualification for K League 2 semi-playoff
4 Jeonnam Dragons 36 13 13 10 38 33 +5 52 Qualification for the Champions League group stage
and K League 2 Semi-playoff[lower-alpha 1]
5 Busan IPark 36 12 9 15 46 56 −10 45
6 Gyeongnam FC 36 11 10 15 40 45 −5 43
7 Ansan Greeners 36 11 10 15 37 49 −12 43
8 Chungnam Asan 36 11 8 17 38 41 −3 41
9 Seoul E-Land 36 8 13 15 40 39 +1 37
10 Bucheon FC 1995 36 9 10 17 32 53 −21 37
Source: Official website of K League SOCCERWAY
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head points
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ↑ Qualified as 2021 Korean FA Cup winners

Positions by matchday

  Leader & promotion to the 2022 K League 1
  Qualification for Relegation/promotion play-offs

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536
Gimcheon Sangmu496877868577875432132111111111111111
FC Anyang245986431112332211211344322222222222
Daejeon Hana Citizen248321112233213344455433233333333333
Jeonnam Dragons632564223321121123323222444444444444
Busan IPark10710458786756446555544555667777555555
Gyeongnam FC8109910101099888764677777766556655666666
Ansan Greeners424235445644557866666678888888778777
Chungnam Asan6837436779999999991099887775566887888
Bucheon FC 199586769991010101010101010101010910101010101010109101010109999
Seoul E-Land11111235446568878888899999910999910101010
Updated to match(es) played on 31 October 2021. Source: kleague.com

Results

Matches 1–18

Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNAS DJC GCS GNM JND SUE
Ansan Greeners — 3–2 2–2 2–3 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–1
FC Anyang 1–2 — 2–0 2–1 2–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0
Bucheon FC 1995 0–1 0–0 — 0–2 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 1–1
Busan IPark 1–1 4–5 1–1 — 0–0 4–1 2–1 2–3 0–1 0–3
Chungnam Asan 0–2 2–2 0–1 4–0 — 3–1 1–2 2–1 0–1 0–0
Daejeon Hana Citizen 0–0 1–2 4–1 1–2 1–1 — 1–2 2–1 1–1 2–1
Gimcheon Sangmu 3–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–1 — 1–2 1–1 2–0
Gyeongnam FC 1–1 1–2 3–0 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–2 — 0–2 0–0
Jeonnam Dragons 2–0 0–1 0–2 1–2 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 — 3–0
Seoul E-Land 1–0 1–2 4–0 0–1 0–1 0–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 —
Source: K League 2
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Matches 19–36

Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNAS DJC GCS GNM JND SUE
Ansan Greeners — 1–0 1–2 1–1 0–1 0–2 0–1 3–1 1–1 0–3
FC Anyang 1–1 — 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 2–1
Bucheon FC 1995 4–3 0–1 — 0–0 0–0 4–2 0–1 2–3 1–2 0–3
Busan IPark 4–0 1–3 0–1 — 2–1 1–1 0–6 1–0 0–1 1–1
Chungnam Asan 0–1 0–2 1–0 3–2 — 3–4 1–2 2–1 0–0 2–1
Daejeon Hana Citizen 4–1 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–0 — 1–4 1–0 2–1 0–2
Gimcheon Sangmu 1–0 2–4 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–1 — 0–0 3–1 3–1
Gyeongnam FC 0–2 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–3 — 0–2 3–3
Jeonnam Dragons 2–3 1–2 1–2 2–0 0–3 0–0 2–2 0–0 — 1–0
Seoul E-Land 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–2 1–3 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 —
Source: K League 2
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Promotion-relegation playoffs

The semi-playoff is contested between the 3rd and 4th placed teams in the K League 2. The winners advance to the playoff to face the 2nd placed team in the K League 2, and the winners advance to the promotion-relegation playoffs to match against the 11th placed team in the K League 1. The winners of that tie secure a place in the 2022 K League 1.

If scores are tied after regular time in the semi-playoff and playoff rounds, the higher-placed team will advance to the next phase. The same conditions do not apply for the promotion-relegation playoffs, which are held instead over two legs.

Semi-playoffPlayoffPromotion-relegation Playoffs
K1 (11)Gangwon FC0
K2 (2)FC Anyang1K2 (3)Daejeon Hana Citizen1
K2 (3)Daejeon Hana Citizen0K2 (3)Daejeon Hana Citizen3
K2 (4)Jeonnam Dragons0

Semi-playoff

Daejeon Hana Citizen0–0Jeonnam Dragons
Report
Attendance: 1,982
Referee: Ahn Jae-hoon

Playoff

FC Anyang1–3Daejeon Hana Citizen
Jonathan Moya 12' Report Park Jin-sub 32'
Bruno Baio 69', 85'
Attendance: 2,789
Referee: Park Byung-jin

Promotion-relegation playoffs

The promotion-relegation play-offs were contested between the winners of K League 2 play-offs and the eleventh-placed team in K League 1.

Daejeon Hana Citizen1–0Gangwon FC
Lee Hyeon-sik 51'
Gangwon FC4–1Daejeon Hana Citizen
 Lee Jong-hyeon 17'

Gangwon FC won 4–2 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

Season statistics

Awards

Most Valuable Player of the Round

Season Awards

The 2021 K League Awards was held on 18 November 2021.

K League 2 Most Valuable Player

K League 2 Young Player

K League 2 Top Scorer

K League 2 Top Assistor

K League 2 Best XI

Position Player Club
Goalkeeper South Korea Gu Sung-yun Gimcheon Sangmu
Defender South Korea Seo Young-jae Daejeon Hana Citizen
Defender South Korea Jung Seung-hyun Gimcheon Sangmu
Defender South Korea Joo Hyeon-woo FC Anyang
Defender South Korea Choi Jun Busan IPark
Midfielder South Korea Kim Kyung-jung FC Anyang
Midfielder South Korea Kim Hyeon-uk Jeonnam Dragons
Midfielder South Korea Park Jin-seop Daejeon Hana Citizen
Midfielder Japan Masatoshi Ishida Daejeon Hana Citizen
Forward North Korea An Byong-jun Busan IPark
Forward Costa Rica Jonathan Moya FC Anyang

K League Manager of the Year

Controversies

On December 12, 2021, Gangwon FC and Daejeon Hana Citizen faced one another in the second leg of the Promotion-relegation play-offs, with the latter team finding himself in advantage after winning the first leg 1–0. Played at Gangneung Stadium, Gangwon's home soil, the match saw the hosts secure a 4-1 comeback victory and maintain their spot in K League 1. However, the game was marred by a series of incidents, occurring between the first and the second half. After Han Kook-young had scored Gangwon's third goal in the 31st minute, the ball boys around the stadium reportedly started to delay giving the ball back to Daejeon players, an event that happened multiple times during the match and was possibly meant to waste time in favour of the hosts: the fans in the away sector reacted furiously, with some of them throwing plastic bottles in direction of one of the ball boys. The game still went ahead, as six minutes of extra time were added at the end of the second half. The K League administration decided to open an official investigation on the controversial events.[5][6]

When asked to talk about the incidents, Gangwon's director Lee Young-pyo originally dismissed them, pointing out that similar instances were already common in European football, but later apologized, saying that he felt "direct responsibility" for the "unsmooth match" and promising that he would work so that Gangwon FC would become "a mature club" in the future.[5] Meanwhile, on December 21, just hours before K League's final disciplinary meeting took place, the Daejeon board released an official response to the matter, stating that there was "clear evidence of the game delays being intentional and organized", as well as noticing that such acts violated the league's Code of Ethics for fair play and respect.[5][7]

In the end, the league's administration decided to keep the final score unchanged: however, Gangwon FC was fined 30 million Korean Won ($25,000) for the episodes of time wasting, whereas Daejeon Hana Citizen was fined 2 million Korean Won ($1,677) for their fans' behavior towards one of the ball boys.[5][6]

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ [공식발표] K리그2, 2월 27일 개막..경남vs안양으로 스타트 (in Korean). InterFootball. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
    2. ↑ "OFFICIAL | Busan IPark have appointed ex-Casa Pia manager Ricardo Peres as a new manager of the team". Twitter.com. Korea Football News. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
    3. ↑ "2021 K League 2 Foreign Players" (in Korean). K League. February 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.
    4. 1 2 "K LEAGUE / Record". Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
    5. 1 2 3 4 Neat, Paul (21 December 2021). "Gangwon FC fined for Playoff Final "ballboy controversy"". K League United. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
    6. 1 2 이석무 (21 December 2021). "'볼보이 고의 지연 논란' 강원FC, 제재금 3천만원..."구단 책임 커"". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
    7. ↑ 기자, 김명석 (21 December 2021). ""강원 볼보이 논란, 누군가 지시 없이는 불가능" 대전, 철저한 진상조사 요구". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
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