Jeju United won their first win in six games.
Jeju, led by coach Nam Ki-il, won an away game against Gangwon FC in the 6th round of the ‘Hana 1 Q K League 1 2023’ held at Songam Sports Town Main Stadium in Chuncheon on the 9th, and won a 1-0 victory with Seo Jin-soo’s preemptive goal. Jeju, who won their first win in 6 games, secured 5 points and placed in 10th place.
Jeju has an unusually high number of injuries this season. From the opening game, ‘Captain’ Choi Young-joon left for a long time, and new faces as well as existing resources such as Lee Chang-min, Jeong-woon, Lim Chae-min, and Lee Ki-hyeok also left due to injuries. Even the three-back line, which had a sense of stability until last season, is only Kim Oh-gyu. On this day, midfielder Kim Bong-soo took over a spot in the three-back. Due to an injury to right-sided defender Ahn Hyun-beom, Kim Seung-seop, who experimented with wingbacks during winter training, was placed instead. Even on the bench, there were only three under-22 (U-22) resources.
Fortunately, Jeju blocked Gangwon’s attack well. Starting goalkeeper Kim Dong-joon’s saving effort also helped the team. Above all, Jeju recorded a scoreless goal in 5 games after the opening match against Suwon FC (0-0 draw). Among the bench members, Seo Jin-soo, who played the most games this season, succeeded in scoring in the 31st minute of the second half, repaying his trust.
Moreover, the away trip to Gangwon is the farthest among the 11 clubs. It takes about 5 hours from the Jeju Clubhouse located in Seogwipo. Moreover, Chuncheon is a long way from Yangyang Airport. You have to get off the plane and take a bus for a long time. Jeju tried several routes, but the time did not decrease no matter what. So, it is an expedition that consumes more stamina. That’s why it has more meaning. It was also one of the factors that Jeju never won against Gangwon last season with 2 draws and 3 losses.
Director Nam said, “The first time is difficult. Because the team was in a bad situation, the players lost their trust in each other and their confidence. He said, “I think it is a victory of faith. I think it will be the first win to gain confidence.”
Shaking off the burden of a draw, Jeju will play the third round of the FA Cup on the 12th and play an away game against Suwon Samsung three days later. Suwon is also sluggish at the beginning of this season with 2 draws and 4 losses. If Jeju succeeds in winning two league games in a row following the flow, it can prepare a point to rise to the upper middle ranks. 토스카지노