Busan earns spot in the K-League playoffs

Busan I’Park FC has sealed the final spot of the six-team playoffs in the Korean Professional Football League (K-League) yesterday, while FC Seoul has clinched third place in the final round of the K-League regular season.

Sixth-placed Busan needed a victory in the last game to confirm a slot in the playoffs since seventh-place Gyeongnam FC and eight-place Chunnam Dragons FC were just one point behind in the league standings.

But the mission was accomplished easily for Busan yesterday as both Gyeonganam and Chunnam failed to come up with critical wins, while the team netted two goals in a 2-0 shutout against Gangwon FC at Asiad Stadium in Busan.

Busan also climbed up to fifth place in the league table with the win, leading Ulsan Hyundai FC by a two-goal differential.

Meanwhile, Seoul finished the regular season in third place by beating Gyeongnam 3-0 yesterday at the Changwon Football Center in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, as midfielder Ha Dae-sung tallied a hat trick for the visitors. The six-team playoffs will start from Nov. 19 with Seoul taking on Ulsan while Suwon hosts Busan.

The winners will square off to determine the challenger of the Pohang Steelers, the runner-up in this regular season, in the third round playoff before the home-and-away championship series kicks off on Nov. 30.

The championship will feature the winner of the third round playoff and regular season champion Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

For individual titles, Seoul’s Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic became this season’s top scorer with 23 goals in 30 matches, while Jeonbuk’s Lee Dong-gook was crowned the assist king with 15.