메이저놀이터Acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu was not overjoyed with the Super Match victory. The team plans to work on the areas where they were outplayed in the second half.
FC Seoul defeated Suwon Samsung 1-0 in the 29th round of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Suwon World Cup Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on April 2. With the win, Seoul leapfrogged into third place.
Photo: FC Seoul
Seoul, coached by acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu, started with a 3-4-3 formation. Na Sang-ho, Ilyuchenko, and Kim Kyung-min formed the back three. The midfield consisted of Kim Jin-ya, Ki Sung-yong, Palosevic, and Go Yo-han. The defense was composed of Kim Joo-sung, Osmar, and Park Soo-il. Choi Chul-won was in goal.
From the kickoff, the balance was broken. It was Seoul who took the lead. In the first minute of the first half, Park Soo-il gave away a throw-in and received a pass back. He calmly took an angle and delivered a cross into the penalty box. Ilyuchenko, who was looking for a chance on the doorstep, fell down after a contest with Kim Joo-won and fired a shot that rattled the net. With the lead, Seoul took control and pushed Suwon forward.
Entering the second half, Suwon fought back. Kazuki, Mullich, and Jeon Jin-woo came on and created more sharp shots. However, it was not fruitful in the end. In the final minutes of the game, there was even a sending-off, and the game ended with a 1-0 victory for Seoul.
Photo: Korea Football Association
After the game, acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu said, “It was a tough game. I think we played a good game as a rivalry game. The only thing I’m a little disappointed about is that I expected this (roughness) in the second half. I emphasized to the players that they should raise the line, but it didn’t work, so I actually didn’t feel that good after the game,” he began the press conference.
The team was disappointed that they were unable to add to their lead in the first half and that they were somewhat outclassed by Suwon’s counterattack in the second half. Acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu said, “I expected them to be aggressive. I saw the situation and thought that if we put Willian or (Han) Seung-kyu, who have the advantage of speed, we could create space. We had a chance to score a goal, but we didn’t, and I think that made it difficult for us. There were scenes that we could have done as a team, and that’s a shame.”
“Actually, I didn’t feel good. We had issues during the game and we had a patient among the fans, so it was heartbreaking. During halftime, I told the players, ‘You were trying to support us and you got sick.’ We were able to hold on and win, but personally, I didn’t feel good. I hope he gets well soon,” he added.
Photo: Korea Professional Football Association
When asked what was the difference between Seoul and Suwon in today’s match, he said, “I think it was the early struggle. Even players like Kim Joo-sung don’t enjoy such (rough) play, but he bumped into the opponent strongly. I think he was trying not to lose the fight.”
He also added, “I think we dropped our line to avoid giving up space in the back, and if we can’t fix that, we can’t be a good team anymore. We will work on this for the next two weeks to prepare for the rest of the season,” he said.
Before the game, acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu said, “We need three Jin-gyu’s,” and hoped for a fighter. He said, “In the first half, I saw some of them, including Ko Yo-han, but in the second half, I saw them falling off. I think we need to train them a little harder,” he replied with a laugh.
Ilyuchenko found the net again. He has been noticeably more decisive lately. Acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu said, “When I met with Ilyuchenko, I told him that I wanted to play soccer that utilizes your strengths. If I told him to go sideways, he would be unhappy. I emphasized that he should concentrate on the ball in the box as much as possible, and he is doing a good job.”
On Seoul Legend Go Yo-han’s return to the starting lineup, he said, “He’s a very good player. He had some time off due to injury, but I think he showed everything in the first half.”
Choi Chul-won was also a standout for the team. Acting head coach Kim Jin-gyu said, “(Choi) keeps praising the goalkeeping coach. He has been focused since training, which is why he is able to make saves in big games like today. I hope he will continue to do his job as he is doing now.”
Photo via KFA