Shanghai Harbour Team's morale has been boosted by a key win in this round of away matches. With three rounds of fixtures ahead of them, two at home and one on the road, the schedule is more favorable for them. Harbor will first face Gwangju at home, then Kobe Victory on the road, and finally return home to face Yokohama Marinos. A three-point win in each of the two home matches would boost Harbor's hopes of advancing, but the challenge of facing such strong opponents is not to be underestimated.
Shandong Taishan consolidated their lead with a three-point haul in this round of home games. Despite the upcoming fixtures including an away match against Kawasaki, a home match against Gwangju and an away match against Ulsan, Shandong Taishan remain in good competitive form. The key will be to make the most of the home advantage against Gwangju, while the final away game against Ulsan is a chance not to be missed, with the team's fate in their own hands.
At the other end of the table, Kobe Victory have a six-point lead over 9th place, while Gwangju are five points ahead. With a win in the next round of matches, their advancement is basically not in doubt. Even though Buriram United and Pohang Steelers are not currently in the promotion zone, the difference in points is slim and they still have a chance to make a push to the top.
Overview of the November 27th Race
Gwangju FC vs Shanghai Shenhua
In this round of matchups, Shanghai Shenhua faced Gwangju World Cup Arena away from home with a team of law enforcement referees from Kuwait, with referee Ahmad Ali and video assistant referee Abdullah Kandari. In the first half, Gwangju scored a goal but the goal was disallowed for a foul. In the 58th minute, Asani broke the deadlock for Gwangju with a brilliant overhead kick. Despite Shanghai Shenhua's all-out attack, they were unable to break through the goal and ended up with a loss.
Yokohama Mariners defeated Pohang Ironmen by a score of 2-0.
The match was held at the Yokohama International Complex Arena and the Yokohama Mariners were the first to break through in the 41st minute with Jan Mateusz. As the match entered the final stages, Yokohama Mariners were awarded a penalty kick in the 95th+5th minute, which was converted by Anderson Lopez. Meanwhile, Pohang Steelers were also awarded a penalty kick in the 90th+9th minute, but Kim Minjoon's shot failed to convert.
