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#KLUpod | K League 1 Round 3 Recap [From Outside The Box]

2026-03-16T17:15:00.001+09:00

From Outside The Box returns with a shorter than usual offering due to the midweek matches. Matthew, Paul & Alex give short roundups of the four matches they covered this weekend on commentary for K League TV, ahead of Round 4 commencing on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Alex covered Jeonbuk's goalless visit to Gwangju, while Paul saw Daejeon Hana Citizen held to a draw against Gimcheon Sangmu.

Then on Sunday, Alex was once again behind the mic, this time witnessing Ulsan HD's comeback about this season's early success story in Bucheon FC 1995, while Matthew saw Incheon United pick up their first point of the season, finding a draw down in Pohang. There was also the matter of FC Seoul's second win of the season, away to Jeju, while FC Anyang managed to pick up a point against Gangwon FC.

Where to Listen

About the Podcast

From Outside The Box is a relaxed, insight-driven podcast from K League United, proudly sponsored by Record Pizza and TNT FC.

Join K League TV commentators Matthew Binns, Paul Neat, and Alex Jensen as they draw from their weekly notes, observations, and offer peeks into their behind-the-scenes experiences from the commentary box to break down K League 1, offering honest opinions, tactical talk, and real stories from outside the commentary box, every week.

The first few episodes of this new initiative will also be available on The K League United Podcast stream before switching over to the new channels which you can find below:

Listen and Subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can also follow on Instagram.

2026 K League 1 Round 4 Preview

2026-03-16T15:29:00.000+09:00

The first midweek action of the 2026 K League 1 season sees seven teams go in search of their first wins of the season, including Incheon United at home to Daejeon Hana Citizen and Gimcheon Sangmu hosting Gwangju FC.

Match of the Round

Pohang eye first win as FC Seoul chase third straight victory

Round 4 sees Pohang Steelers take on FC Seoul. Pohang currently sit ninth after drawing their opening two matches, while Seoul are second in the table after back-to-back league wins. In the last 10 meetings between the sides, Pohang hold a slight edge with three wins, five draws and two defeats. They also had the upper hand last season, recording two wins, one draw and one loss.

Pohang have drawn both of their opening games and are still searching for their first victory of the season. This year they have shown to be aggressive with their press, posting a 50% tackle success rate in the attacking third. They have also performed well in aerial duels in attacking areas, with a success rate of 56.2%. However, they have lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.

FC Seoul, meanwhile, claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over Jeju SK in Round 3, with Lee Seung-mo scoring the winner just before full time to secure their second consecutive K League victory of the season. The capital side have been efficient in attack, registering 26 shots and 13 on target across their first two matches. Their crossing success rate of 26.3% ranks second in the league, highlighting their strong wing play. Wide players such as Song Min-kyu, Moon Seon-min and Jung Seung-won have been particularly influential. New signing Song Min-kyu has made an immediate impact, recording one goal and one assist in two appearances. Having previously thrived under head coach Kim Gi-dong at Pohang, Song has quickly established himself at Seoul as well.

The match will take place on Wednesday 18th March at 7:30 PM KST at Pohang Steel Yard.

Watch live on K League TV: here

Team of the Round

Incheon target revenge for first win of the season

Incheon United ended a run of defeats with a 1-1 draw away to Pohang in Round 3. Having earned a valuable point on the road, they now return home looking to claim their first win of the campaign.

Incheon showed attacking intent in their previous two matches, recording 17 shots against Gwangju in Round 2 and 11 against Pohang in Round 3. However, they were left frustrated after failing to convert key chances. Stefan Mugosa has been in strong form, registering two goals and one assist, contributing an attacking return in every match so far. New arrivals Oh Hu-seong and Seo Jae-min have also shown promise in attack. If Gerso Fernandes and Park Seung-ho rediscover their scoring touch, Incheon could be capable of producing a high-scoring performance in this round.

Defensively, however, Incheon have looked vulnerable. They conceded two goals against Seoul in Round 1, three against Gwangju in Round 2 and one against Pohang in Round 3. In each of their three matches they have allowed at least four shots inside the penalty area, meaning defensive concentration in front of goal will be crucial if they are to secure a win this week.

Incheon face Daejeon in Round 4, the team that condemned them to relegation in Round 37 of the 2024 season. The match is scheduled for Wednesday 18th March at 7:30 PM at Incheon Football Stadium.

Watch live on K League TV with English commentary: here

Player of the Round

Gimcheon Sangmu's defensive marshal, Lee Jung-taek

Gimcheon Sangmu extended their unbeaten start to the season with a 1-1 draw against Daejeon in Round 3, making it three consecutive draws. Central defender Lee Jung-taek was a standout performer, delivering an excellent display at both ends of the pitch.

After producing a composed performance against Jeonbuk in Round 2 that earned him a place in the Round’s Best XI, Lee once again impressed in Round 3 against his parent club Daejeon. Facing physically strong foreign forwards such as Gustav Ludwigson and Diogo Oliveira, Lee held his own by recording three successful aerial duels, six blocks and eight clearances.

A versatile player capable of operating as a defensive midfielder, centre-back or full-back, Lee also contributed going forward. In the 41st minute, he provided the assist for Lee Geon-hee’s opening goal. He further underlined his influence with 10 successful passes into the attacking third and 19 successful forward passes.

Gimcheon face Gwangju in this round. Last season, Gimcheon recorded two draws and one defeat in three meetings with Gwangju. Attention will be on whether Lee Jung-taek can help his side break that winless run. The match will be played on Tuesday 17th March at 7:30 PM at Gimcheon Sports Complex Stadium.

Watch live on K League TV with English commentary: here

2026 K League 1 Round 4 Fixtures

Tuesday 17th March

Gimcheon Sangmu vs. Gwangju FC - 19:30 [ENG]

Wednesday 18th March

Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Gangwon FC - 7:30 PM

Incheon United vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen - 7:30 PM [ENG]

Jeju SK vs. Ulsan HD - 7:30 PM

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors vs. FC Anyang 7:30 PM [ENG]

Pohang Steelers vs. FC Seoul 7:30 PM

Where to Watch

Watch live on TV.KLeague.com, English commentary provided where indicated.

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2026 K League 2 Round 3 Preview

2026-03-13T15:01:00.000+09:00

The 2026 K League 2 season continues this weekend with a clash between two promotion favourites in Suwon Bluewings and Jeonnam Dragons, Busan IPark face Seoul E-Land, and Daegu FC host Chungnam Asan in what's expected to be an action-packed Round 3.

Match of the Round: Early Promotion Test

Both Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Jeonnam Dragons have produced impressive performances in the opening weeks of the season. Suwon have made the expected strong start with two consecutive victories, while Jeonnam showed their resilience despite suffering defeat in Round 2 following a dominant opening-day win. The outcome of this encounter could offer an early indication of the balance of power in K League 2.

Suwon claimed a 2-1 victory over Seoul E-Land in Round 1 before edging Paju Frontier 1-0 in Round 2 to maintain their perfect start. However, the win over Paju was not without difficulties. Suwon struggled at times against Paju’s well-organised defensive structure and counterattacks, and found themselves having to dig in to defend several dangerous opportunities.

One positive was the performance of new signing Jeong Ho-yeon, who impressed after coming off the bench and brought stability to the midfield. Bruno Silva also demonstrated his potential as an attacking option for manager Lee Jung-hyo, underlining Suwon’s overall strength.

Jeonnam, meanwhile, followed up their emphatic 4-1 opening-day win against Gyeongnam FC with a 4-2 defeat to Daegu in Round 2. Despite the loss, the side displayed a clear attacking identity. Jeong Ji-yong’s pace and the presence of Honan in attack were particularly notable, while Valdivia contributed with an assist.

However, Jeonnam struggled to respond to Daegu’s substitutions and conceded two goals in similar fashion to Edgar. With Suwon also boasting several players capable of decisive individual moments, how Jeonnam adapt defensively will be crucial.

Suwon have dominated the recent head-to-head record, winning four and drawing two of the teams’ last six meetings over the past two years. However, with both clubs under new management, their first meeting under the current coaches could produce a different dynamic.

Suwon and Jeonnam meet on Saturday, 14 March at 2:00 PM at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

Team of the Round: Busan IPark

Busan IPark secured an impressive 3-1 victory away to Ansan in Round 2, scoring two dramatic late goals. The result was even more striking, considering Ansan had opened their season with a 4-1 win.

Busan adopted a significantly different tactical approach compared with last season, firing 27 shots at the Ansan goal on their way to claiming all three points. The key to Busan’s attacking improvement has been a shift in formation. Last year, they relied largely on a three-centre-back system focused on defensive stability, but this season they have lined up with a back four in both of their opening matches.

Jang Ho-ik and Woo Joo-sung have anchored the defence, while the full-backs have been encouraged to push forward and support the attack. In midfield, Lee Dong-su has taken on defensive duties while Kim Min-hyuk has provided creativity in orchestrating attacks.

New signing Cristian Renato has also made an immediate impact, scoring in both of his first two matches. If additional attacking options such as Gabriel and Baek Ga-on continue to regain match fitness, Busan’s attacking threat could grow even further.

Busan, now embracing a more attacking style, travel to face Seoul E-Land in this round. The two teams were evenly matched last season, with one win each and one draw. Notably, the three matches produced a combined total of 12 goals, suggesting another high-scoring contest could be on the cards.

Busan face Seoul E-Land on Saturday, 14 March at 2:00 PM at Mokdong Stadium.

Player of the Round: Daegu FC's Edgar

Daegu FC have opened the season with back-to-back home victories. Their momentum grew even stronger after a thrilling 4-2 comeback win over Jeonnam in Round 2, with substitute Edgar playing a decisive role.

The two sides were level at 2–2 at halftime before Daegu head coach Kim Byung-soo made a bold decision at the start of the second half. He introduced Edgar in place of left midfielder Park Gi-hyeon in an attacking change that proved crucial.

Edgar delivered the breakthrough, scoring twice in quick succession in the 70th and 76th minutes to secure a 4-2 victory for Daegu. Both goals highlighted the Brazilian striker’s aerial dominance. One came from a powerful header, while the other was a deft redirection that required only a slight touch to guide the ball into the net.

Edgar also demonstrated his overall influence by winning seven of his nine aerial duels. He attempted five shots in total, four of which were on target, showcasing his clinical finishing. In recognition of his performance, Edgar was named the season’s first Round MVP.

Daegu, aiming for a third consecutive victory, travel to face Chungnam Asan in this round. Chungnam Asan defeated Paju 3-2 in their opening match before sitting out Round 2. The match will take place on Sunday, 15 March at Yi Sun-sin Stadium in Asan.

2026 K League 2 Round 3 Fixtures

Saturday 14th March

Gimhae FC 2008 vs. Suwon FC - 2:00 PM

Seoul E-Land vs. Busan IPark - 2:00 PM

Suwon Samsung Bluewings vs. Jeonnam Dragons - 2:00 PM

Yongin FC vs. Gimpo FC - 4:30 PM

Gyeongnam FC vs. Chungbuk Cheongju - 4:30 PM

Sunday 15th March

Chungnam Asan vs. Daegu FC - 2:00 PM

Ansan Greeners vs. Paju Frontier - 2:00 PM

Hwaseong FC vs. Cheonan City - 4:30 PM

Where to Watch

Watch all matches live on TV.KLeague.com.