“Special Joker” Kim In-gyun vowed to play in the rest of the games.
Daejeon Hana Citizen and Jeonbuk Hyundai tied 0-0 at the 31st round of the “Hana Bank K League 1 2024” held at Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Daejeon had no loss in seven matches (four wins and three draws) and Jeonbuk had no loss in five matches (three wins and two draws). 18,473 people visited the stadium. It was the largest number of spectators at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium this season.
It was a regrettable match for Daejeon. If he did not lose and secured points, he would have widened the gap with the relegation zone more clearly. There were dizzying moments, but he did not lose a point and sometimes he felt sorry to finish the game in the midst of pushing ahead, so the result of the draw came more regrettably.
Kim In-gyun also expressed regret that he failed to win. Kim is providing new options to Hwang. During the 2021 season when he was playing for Asan, South Chungcheong Province, Kim played a total of 35 games, recording eight goals and three assists. He elevated his stock price by being selected as the K League 2 Young Player award and moved to Daejeon ahead of the 2022 season. As a Joker, he added speed to his side and displayed capability to produce attack points.
Kim In-gyun, who led the promotion of Daejeon, continued to play as a starter and substitute in the 2023 season, and posted eight goals and six assists in 29 games. Considering the playing time, Kim was remarkably productive in attack points. Kim also took the spot as an offense in Daejeon in the 2024 season. Even when Daejeon was generally sluggish, he overcame frustration by playing with speed and dribbling. Although his attack points dropped compared to the previous two seasons, he still had a clear presence.
Due to ankle injury, Kim was sidelined for two months after June. After returning to the match against Sangmu in Gimcheon, Kim In-kyun served as a substitute in a match against Gwangju FC, but received a goal kick from Lee Chang-geun and scored a goal to give Daejeon victory. He played in the match against FC Seoul even after the match against Gwangju FC, and displayed breakthrough performance in the latter half on the day, pestering Jeonbuk’s defense. Some of them created chances, but none of them scored a goal.
Kim In-gyun said at the Mix Zone, “I had to win because I was in a competition with Jeonbuk. As it was a home game, I should have won more. I feel really bad that I couldn’t. Players are regretting more than not losing. We need to earn more points before the final round. Then I would feel less anxious, but I feel sorry that I could not win a six-point match against Jeonbuk.” 안전놀이터
Still, Daejeon has surely recovered. Kim In-gyun, who struggled even when his team was in a difficult situation in the early days of the season, said, “Existing players and new players mix well together. The coach’s tactical training and the way he treats players fit well in some areas. I think that’s why his performance has improved.”
Kim In-gyun is more likely to be a substitute than a starter. Regarding this, Kim said, “A player would definitely like to be a starter. However, I have a mission given by the coach. It is right to carry out the mission to the best of his ability.”
Following the match against Gwangju, Lee Chang-geun’s goal kick almost led to Kim In-gyun’s goal, but the goal kick was somewhat inaccurate. Kim In-gyun said, “I often match with (Lee) Chang-geun during training. That scene came out in the game, and Chang-geun said he was sorry (for the long goal kick).”