FC Seoul coach Kim Ki-dong expressed satisfaction with the scoreless victory.
Seoul won 1-0 in the 35th round of “Hana Bank K League 1 2024” against Suwon FC at 4:30 p.m. on the 26th at Suwon Stadium.
Seoul rose to fourth place with 53 points (15 wins, 8 draws and 12 losses) and gained an advantage in the competition for tickets to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ALC).
The match was decided by one goal. Seoul could not easily attack Suwon FC’s defense in the first half, but it scored on set piece. Lucas scored on Lingard’s corner kick in the 29th minute.
In the second half, Suwon FC led the game, and the thin ice match continued. Seoul’s defense centered on Yazan and Kim Joo-sung remained unshakable, preventing Suwon FC’s attacks and eventually winning by a goal.
“It was the most important game as we wrapped up the season. If we miss this game, it would have been meaningless in the next game. Still, I am happy that the players managed to secure one goal and secure three points. I have hope for the second goal,” Kim said after the game.
“Next time, I will play Pohang Steelers at home. I want to play well in front of many fans. Through this kind of game, I will have a winning mentality. I want to compliment the players who won without losing a point,” he added.
Before the match, coach Kim expressed his trust in Lucas. Lucas scored a goal after eight games as if to repay the favor and became the winner of the winning goal. “He is my favorite type. I had some difficulties because I made mistakes in the details, but I can make sufficient changes,” coach Kim said. “He showed satisfactory performance with penetration and shooting ability.”
Coach Kim talked with Ki after the first half. “We talked about the timing of the replacement. Before we scored, we were going to put it in right in the second half. As we scored first, we slowed down the input a little bit. He said it was okay for about 30 minutes. He kept the balance well when the opponent was rushing. I feel sorry if the shot went in, but he certainly led the game well.”
Kim also expressed satisfaction with Hwang’s performance. “I got to know him during the first winter training session in Seoul. As he is a young player, he did not perform well before, but he paid close attention during the training session. I suffered a fracture due to fatigue while playing before, but now I am recovering. This is a resource that we need to nurture,” Kim said.
Regarding the scene of the protest at the end of the game, he said, “It seemed like the opponent’s goalkeeper played the game, but another player grabbed the ball with his hand. I complained about handball, but the referee told me to proceed with the game again.”
He also thanked the visiting fans. “I didn’t know how many visiting fans would come because I was new to the team, but I heard that there were more visiting fans than last year. I could have come more today, but they said there were no seats left. I am always grateful and the players are gaining strength,” Kim said.
Seoul has continued its unbeaten streak in 10 matches against Suwon FC. “I don’t remember losing against Suwon FC that much. It’s a good jinx. Players can play with confidence and complacency, but if we take the lead, we can take a good lead in psychology,” Kim said. “I want to keep going.” 스포츠토토
Regarding the defense, he also expressed satisfaction, saying, “I always said I was worried about the center and the third line, but I still settled down when (Kang) Hyun-moo and Yazan came along. The midfield managed to hold on by utilizing (Choi) Jun. No matter how good the central defender is, if there is a player who does not have defense in the third line, he is allowed to attack. Jun also, as midfielders gave strength to the defense, I also gained a sense of stability from the back.”