'Jo Min-gyu Walking on the Road of Legends' Ulsan, which succeeded in turning the tables, challenged Incheon to the semifinals of the Korea Cup
Jul 16, 2024
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Ulsan will play Incheon in the quarterfinals of the '2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup' at Munsu Football Stadium at 7 p.m. on the 17th. On the 19th of last month, Ulsan drew 4-4 against Gyeongnam FC after 120 minutes of bloody battle. In the penalty shootout, rookie goalkeeper Moon Hyun-ho then blocked all three kicks from the opponent to win 3-0. Ulsan met Incheon, which beat Gimcheon Sangmu in a penalty shootout.
Ulsan secured a 1-0 dramatic victory thanks to Joo Min-kyu's dramatic winning goal in the 23rd round of the K League 1 against FC Seoul at home on the 13th.
He played his first game under acting coach Lee Kyung-soo, and the players fired their fighting spirit for the fans with more earnestness than ever. Joo Min-kyu, who intercepted Yoon Il-rok's 'Shooting' in the second half of the extra time, made a fantastic turning shot to give Ulsan three points. After scoring, Joo Min-kyu showed a ceremony to lift his uniform with his number 18 engraved on it.
It was Joo Min-kyu's 200 K-League 1 games. He currently has 90 goals-25 assists in 200 games. Including the K League 2 (52 goals and 14 assists in 145 games) and the playoffs (3 games), he is on the path of legend with 142 goals and 39 assists in a total of 348 games.
On the same day, Lee Kyu-sung, the core of Ulsan's midfield, also achieved a feat of playing in 200 K-League matches (3 goals and 13 assists). In the 25th minute of the second half against Seoul, he was put in place of Ko Seung-beom and actively played on the ground. He is proving his value with four goals and four assists in 54 K-League games and three playoff games, with seven goals and 17 assists in 257 games.
Ulsan remained unshakable despite the wind and waves thanks to the enthusiastic support of 「21,064 people」. The largest number of spectators gathered in all K League 1 and 2, which were held on the 13th and 14th. Shortly after Joo Min-kyu's winning goal, 'Bye~' and the cell phone flash were spectacular.
Acting head coach Lee Kyung-soo said, `I've been a head coach (Sungsil University, Yunaversiad national team) before, but this is the first time I've experienced this. The support of the 20,000 fans was fantastic, and it will remain an unforgettable moment."
Ulsan's eyes are on the FA Cup. The weekend, the players' fatigue was piled up due to the weekend's game during the week, but it turned the mood around with a sweet victory for Seoul. Incheon remains in ninth place in the league, but has the potential to win 2-0 away games against Gwangju FC in the 23rd round of the K League 1 on the 14th. As the Korea Cup is a one-off match, we must never let our guard down.
Ulsan has faced Incheon twice in the league this season. They tied 3-3 at home on March 17 and tied 1-1 at away games on May 29. By winning the last of the three consecutive home games (Gwangju, Seoul, and Incheon), it plans to speed up preparations for the upcoming two away games (Jeonbuk at 7 p.m. on the 20th and Jeju United at 7:30 p.m. on the 26th).
newsme@sportschosun.com
