'Injured ward' Jeju, I've been persistent, but.. Why does the ball bounce there? I cried because of GK's mistake
Aug 28, 2024
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Jeju lost 1-2 to the Pohang Steelers in the second round of the semi-final of the '2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup' held at Pohang Steelyard on the 28th. Jeju, which had a 2-2 draw on its home turf in the first round, knelt 3-4 on aggregate.
'Korea Cup Defending Champion' Pohang is close to winning its second consecutive title. Pohang will face Ulsan, which beat Gwangju, in the final. Pohang, which had slowed down in the league, succeeded in turning the mood around by harvesting a valuable victory in the Korea Cup.
In both Jeju and Pohang, the recent trend has been bad. In the K-League, Pohang has lost four consecutive games, moving away from the top spot. Jeju lost three consecutive games, allowing them to chase down the relegation zone. He also suffered from a series of injuries to his main players. In Pohang, striker Lee Ho-jae and central defender Lee Dong-hee were out for the season. Foreign striker Giorgi was removed from the list due to symptoms of sinusitis. Jeju's reliable defensive resources such as Jung-woon, Lee Joo-yong, and Song Joo-hoon collapsed. In order to rebound, it was imperative to advance to the final of the Korea Cup.
No matter how important the league's ranking fight is, there was no reason to back down when it came to the semifinals. Jeju coach Kim Hak-beom said, `The defense is wiped out He lamented, "I don't know if it's a preliminary round, but I've come this far. It's a single game anyway. One cannot neglect one thing, he said, signaling an all-out war.
The goddess of victory smiled at Pohang. Jeju goalkeeper Kim Dong-joon's fatal mistake at the end of the second half led to the winning goal.
The first half was a general. In the first five minutes of the first half, Pohang led by Ahn Jae-joon's score, and the game seemed to be easily solved. Pohang broke down the Jeju defense with a perfect pass game. Jeju quickly cleared up its battle lines. After reorganizing the defensive organization, it was balanced in the 23rd minute of the first half. Pohang goalkeeper Hwang In-jae emptied the goal and came out to deal with the ball in the air, but failed. Jeju Hayes scored the equalizer with a header.
Jeju collapsed in the 36th minute of the second half. Pohang Ahn Jae-joon's shot was missed. Goalkeeper Kim Dong-joon caught the ball and missed it. Of course, Pohang Eojeongwon was right in front of me. Uh Jung-won quickly rushed in and kicked it into the goal line.
Head coach Kim Hak-beom apologized to his fans first. He said "I feel so sorry for the supporters if I lose the expedition. He was disappointed that they prepared earlier than us and cheered us on. Coach Kim visited the away supporter's seat in person and bowed his head after the game. He said "It's something you can do as much as you want as a director. Now the Korea Cup is over. I'll focus everything on the league."
As for the defense, "I worked hard as I did, but there was a lot of confusion." There were also situations where the feet didn't fit. It is a situation that was predicted anyway. Rather, it is regrettable that Nam Tae-hee fell in the middle and Hong Jae-seok felt leg cramps, and lost power as he twisted his replacement timing. I wish I could have gone normally..." he reflected on the game.
Meanwhile, the final match between Pohang and Ulsan will be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 30. Pohang is aiming for its sixth career championship, the most ever.
dhhan@sportschosun.com
