The top South Korean professional soccer league will kick off its new season at the weekend with some of the usual suspects ready to battle for supremacy once again.

The 12-team K League Classic will open its 2014 season on Saturday with three matches, including the rematch of last season’s dramatic finale between the champs Pohang Steelers and the runner-up Ulsan Hyundai.

Ulsan held a two-point lead on Pohang heading into that match and needed only a draw to clinch their first championship in eight years. Pohang had other ideas, however, scoring the winner merely seconds before the final whistle for the thrilling 1-0 win.

The two clubs are seen as contenders again for this season, and they’re expected to battle the likes of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and FC Seoul, two familiar faces near the top of the standings in recent seasons.

At the league’s media day on Monday, Hwang Sun-hong, Pohang’s head coach, said his club should be able to build on the championship season.

“We lost some players over the winter and some people may say we’re facing a crisis,” Hwang said. “But we can turn this into an opportunity.” (Yonhap)