Ulsan HD in the K League 1, which is shaken after the manager’s change, is aiming to rebound through the Korea Cup.
Ulsan will play the first round of the semifinals of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup against Gwangju FC at 7 p.m. on the 21st at Gwangju Football Stadium. The Korea Cup, which had a single-round match through the quarterfinals, will host the semifinals at home and away, and the second round of the two teams will be held at Ulsan Munsu Stadium at 7 p.m. on the 28th.
Ulsan, which has achieved its second consecutive K-League 1 title, has been reeling from a slump this season. Coach Hong Myung-bo left as the coach of the Korean national team last month, and former Malaysian coach Kim Pan-gon will lead the team after serving as acting coach Lee Kyung-soo. The team has begun reorganization during the season, but still needs time.
Daegu FC, which was held as the first match of Kim Pan-gon’s departure on the 10th, won 1-0, but lost to Suwon FC 1-2 on the 18th, dampening its momentum. Including the record before head coach Kim’s appointment, it is 1-3 in four games.
Ulsan is committed to dispel its disappointment, which was particularly weak, by losing all two games against Gwangju in this season. Given that all of its previous records came under the guidance of its predecessor, it looks forward to new results.
Although Joo-po Joo Min-kyu was sent off in the previous K League 1 game, it is a good thing for Ulsan that he can play in the Korea Cup. In addition, there are more players with more experience on the big stage, including Jung Woo-young, Hwang Seok-ho and Kim Min-woo than Gwangju.
Gwangju, which has already achieved the best record in the history of the Korea Cup by reaching the semifinals, is committed to making it to the finals for the first time. Under the leadership of Lee Jung-hyo, the team is confident that it is continuing to make new history by playing in the Asian Games for the first time.
The two coaches` relationship with each other is also interesting. Kim Pan-gon provided guidance to Lee Jeong-hyo, a leading defender of the Busan national team, in 2005.
Coach Kim Pan-gon praised Je-in Lee Jung-hyo on the media day of the semifinals, saying, “He is playing good soccer leading the K-League,” and expressed his expectation, “As Gwangju plays aggressive soccer, we will also play fun games for fans with aggressive management.”
Coach Lee Jung-hyo, who is good at talking, also responded, “I was hoping to meet Ulsan.”
Jeju United and Pohang Steelers will meet in the semifinals for two consecutive seasons. In the semifinals of last season, Pohang beat Jeju Island after a penalty shootout to advance to the finals and even win the championship.
In this season’s K League 1, Jeju is ranked eighth and Pohang is fourth, respectively, but if the two teams face off, it is expected to be a fierce match as it has always been a close match.
Jeju coach Kim Hak-beom is preparing for the match against Pohang, saying, “The result will be different from last year.” In response, Pohang striker Lee Ho-jae did not hide his confidence, saying, “Pohang will go to the final with a total of 4-0 in the first and second games.” 메이저놀이터
The first leg of the Korea Cup semifinals between Jeju and Pohang will be held at 7:30 p.m. on the 21st at Jeju World Cup Stadium, and the second leg will be held at 7:30 p.m. on the 28th at Pohang Stillyard.
Meanwhile, the final match of the Korea Cup will be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 30.