Dillan George
Dailysports's expert
On Tuesday, February 18, in the final match of the AFC Champions League league stage, Gwangju will face Buriram United. I am suggesting a bet on the number of goals in this match.
Interesting facts about the match and head-to-head history
- Gwangju is unbeaten in its last seven home matches.
- Buriram United has won only one away game in the AFC Champions League this season.
- Only one of the last five matches involving Gwangju has seen more than two goals.
- These teams have never faced each other before.
Match preview
Gwangju did not have a particularly successful campaign in last season’s K League. The team finished seventh in the regular season, missing out on a place in the championship group. In the relegation group, Gwangju ultimately finished third, avoiding the playoff for survival.
The new season has already kicked off in South Korea, with Gwangju playing just one match so far— a 0-0 draw against Suwon. However, in the AFC Champions League, Gwangju has already secured 13 points and sits in fourth place. They have guaranteed themselves a place in the playoffs.
Buriram United is dominating this season in the Thai League. The "Thunder Castle Warriors" currently lead the table after 21 rounds with 51 points. Bangkok United, in second place, trails by seven points, making it unlikely that they will catch Buriram.
In their most recent Thai League match, Buriram suffered a surprising 0-1 defeat against Port FC. Before that, they secured victories over Prachuap (2-1) and Nakhon (3-1). In the AFC Champions League, Buriram is still fighting for a playoff spot. The Thai champions sit in sixth place with 11 points, and a draw in this final match would be enough to secure a top-eight finish.
Possible lineups
- Gwangju: K. M. Kim; J. Kim, B. Jung Soo, J. Sung Kwon, M. Lee; J. Asani, T. Park, Y. Jae Ho; J. I. Park, K. M. Shin, Reis
- Buriram United: N. Etheridge; M. S. Ko, K. Dougall, K. Good, D. Kuls; P. Jule, G. Čaušić, L. Crispim; S. Muenta, M. Boakye, Guilherme Bissoli
Prediction for Gwangju – Buriram United
Buriram United has no reason to take unnecessary risks in this match since a draw would be enough for them, while the South Korean side has no real tournament motivation. I am betting that there will be fewer than three goals in this game.
