FC Anyang coach Yoo Byung-hoon (48), who achieved promotion to the K League 1 professional football team for the first time in 11 years, shed tears as he recalled his wife with cancer.
Anyang won the K League 2 championship regardless of the result of the final round of the 39th round, which will be held at Anyang Sports Complex on the 9th, with a 0-0 draw with Bucheon FC in the 38th round of the K League 2 away game held at Bucheon Sports Complex on the 2nd. It is the first time in 11 years that Anyang has been promoted to K League 1 since the team was founded in 2013.
At a press conference after the game, Yoo confessed that Roh Sang-rae, an interpreter, and his manager, and his wife had thyroid cancer. “My manager Roh (was diagnosed with cancer two months ago, but due to his challenge to win the championship), so I postponed my surgery. My wife also went to the hospital yesterday and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer,” he said. “I am so sorry and grateful that I felt like I shared my stress.” Yoo’s wife visited the stadium to cheer for the players even after being diagnosed with cancer on the previous day.
Anyang’s promotion was the result of its first challenge in three games and four games. Anyang ranked third for the first time in 2019, making it to the semi-playoff stage. It ranked second in 2021, but lost to Daejeon Hana Citizen in the playoffs. In 2022, it finished the regular league in third place and advanced to the promotion playoffs, but lost to Suwon Samsung and had to end its promotion challenge.
Yoo is a novice coach who assumed the leadership ahead of this season after working as the head coach of Anyang. He achieved promotion in his first season by emphasizing teamwork and communication and trust with players instead of relying on specific players. By playing “flower bud soccer” by confusing opponents with fast and organically gathering and spreading movements, he maintained the lead by allowing the least number of goals (34 goals) in the league. 먹튀검증
As Anyang will play in the K League 1 in the 2025 season, soccer fans’ attention is already focused on the derby match between Anyang and Seoul. Anyang was founded as a civic team in 2013 after the efforts of local soccer fans after “Anyang LG Cheetas” moved to Seoul in 2004 and changed its name to FC Seoul. For this reason, Anyang fans consider facing Seoul in the K League 1 as their biggest goal. Until now, Anyang and Seoul have only met in the round of 32 at the Korea Football Association (FA) Cup, which was held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on April 19, 2017. At that time, Seoul beat Anyang 2-0.
Meanwhile, Ulsan HD won the K League 1 title in the 2024 season by beating Gangwon FC 2-1 in the 36th round of the K League 1 held at Ulsan Stadium on the 1st. It is the third consecutive K League 1 title and fifth career championship.