Sunmoon University coach Choi Jae-young still yearns for “learning” and “growth.”
Sunmoon University, led by head coach Choi, beat Yongin University 2-1 in the Baekdu-daegan final of the 60th Autumn University Football Federation held at Taebaek Sports Complex in Gangwon Province on the 24th. Sunmoon University won the championship in three years after winning the Taebaek Mountain Range in 2021.
Sunmoon scored the first goal in the 37th minute of the second half, but Kim Kyung-min scored just before the end to bring the game to square one. Then, Noh Kyu-min’s come-from-behind goal in the third minute of the second half gave a smile. Sunmoon also contributed the most to the victory as goalkeeper Kim Dong-hwa made several saves, including a penalty kick.
Above all, Sunmoon University won the championship trophy for the first and second graders’ competitions in Taebaek last month. In the third year since he led Sunmoon University, the championship is also meaningful to Choi as it is his first win. “After the competition ended, the seniors were not in good condition. There was something I felt complacent about,” Choi said after the victory. “However, I think the results were good because the players followed suit well.”
In particular, Sunmoon University had its first loss in the championship. The team continued to display salty defense, in which it did not yield even a single goal in six games before the finals. In the finals, the team also blocked Yongin University’s wave offensive with one goal, which laid the groundwork for its victory. “I think the defense and attack plan were more perfect than any other competition,” Choi said. “The concept of the finals was not implemented well. It seems that the team did not change the framework of offense, and the players’ desperation led to the come-from-behind score.”
Choi constantly craves and studies advanced soccer. He is also said to refer to Manchester City and Brighton of the English Premier League, Leverkusen who won the German Bundesliga without losing the title last season, and Atletico Madrid, a prestigious Spanish soccer team. 먹튀검증
“I’ve been watching Manchester City soccer live. We analyze Manchester City soccer every year,” Choi said. “For defense, we refer to Atletico Madrid. For offense, we watch matches including Manchester City, Leverkusen and Brighton. We referred to Leverkusen as our defense for the final.”
Sunmoon University has established itself as one of the strongest players in the university stage. However, Choi feels that he lacks confidence. “Rather than making it a team, Sunmoon University should grow a lot, both players and I should grow a lot. I think I should do a lot of research while watching European soccer and K-League. I still have so much to do (at Sunmoon University). It is rewarding to see the players grow up and play professionally,” he said with a smile.