Hana One Q K League 1 2023 between Gwangju FC and Ulsan Hyundai at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan

Gwangju, a promoted team that competed in the second division until last season, won 2-0 after pushing Ulsan, the defending champion and the season leader. Gwangju, which put intense forward pressure like coach Lee Jung-hyo’s pledge to “press,” already led by two goals early in the second half, showing a clean airlift conversion.

Ulsan staged an all-out war. With the start of the second half, Um Won-sang, who had just returned from injury, was deployed, and Joo Min-kyu, Lee Chung-yong, Kim Tae-hwan, and Boyanichi also stepped on the ground and launched a strong offensive. However, the opponent’s goal was not opened. Compared to these “candidate players” who came in the second half, the Gwangju team, which played on the ground, has a significant drop in name value.

In Gwangju, Um Ji-sung, who plays as an ace, was called up to the under-23 national team and failed to play on the day. Heo Yul and Asani have accumulated warnings, and Timo, the “core of defense,” is also recovering from injuries. The lineup was virtually no different from last season, when a large number of main players left the team. Nevertheless, his performance came out enough to completely defeat the team, which is considered the best in the league.

In particular, Gwangju’s defense, which led to Lee Soon-min, Ahn Young-kyu, Aaron, and Doo Hyun-seok, remained in the lineup against the second division team last season. The secret was the ‘growth’ of the players. Lee Kun-hee, who scored the first goal right away, is also showing a performance only last season in the first division, where his level has been raised. Lee Kun-hee, who scored six goals in 15 games in the 2022 season, scored four goals in 17 games this season. He recorded 12 shots, four of which shook the net.

Born in 1994, Lee Soon-min is playing the best performance of his career at the age of 30. In the 2022 season, he was also said to be the main player in Gwangju’s promotion with active activity in the midfield, but this season, he became a “different player” by expanding his range of activities to the entire rear area. He often plays as a defender, not a midfielder, which is his main position.

He played as a full-back on the day. He changed his position to the point where it was confusing whether it was a left fullback or a right fullback, blocking the opponent’s offense, which boasts firepower. In particular, Ulsan’s Kim Min-hyuk, who launched a counterattack in the extra time of the first half, took a right-footed shot in the penalty area, but Lee Soon-min, who clenched his teeth and followed, blocked it with his body.

In the 35th minute of the second half, he followed Um Won-sang, the “representative semi-foot” of the K League, who penetrated the back space along Baco’s roving pass, and eventually turned the attack to nothing. Lee Soon-min, who was recently selected as a member of the national team for the first time in his life, attributed his growth to Gwangju.

Gwangju is tactically closely organized, so his strengths are displayed on the ground. Lee Soon-min said, “As a team, there are many parts that we prepare together, and there are many promised movements. “Whatever position you enter, you only have to focus on your role in a systematic situation,” he said. “All players say so.” “This is why we can produce good results even in unfamiliar positions,” he said.

Coach Lee Jung-hyo cited ‘tactical performance ability’ as a key factor in his growth. Coach Lee said, “Doo Hyun-suk and Lee Soon-min moved to the center and played several roles.” “Our team often plays in a different position (from the previous one), so I think they know what to do as soon as they move to that position naturally,” he said adding, “My understanding of the tactics is improving.”

He added, “No matter what team we are trying to do, the soccer we want to do is always the same,” adding, “The entire team is fighting hard and showing it on the ground to score.” Gwangju’s captain Ahn Young-kyu’s “promise” is also gradually becoming a reality. In January, Ahn Young-kyu announced through the club, “I will meet and show a team that thinks we are a weak team,” signaling a “stamp breaking” season.

At that time, Ahn Young-kyu picked Ulsan as the team he wanted to face the most. Ahn Young-kyu said, “Ulsan won the first division and we won the second division. “I want to feel that we have become a better team by facing each other,” he said. Gwangju won the K League 2 last season and also achieved a minimum number of runs (32 points). There was not much expectation that Gwangju’s defense, led by Ahn Young-kyu, would show the same “salty water defense” in the first part. 스포츠토토

Gwangju, which has conceded 28 goals in 29 games this season, is at least the second-highest after Jeonbuk Hyundai (25 goals). The current ranking, which entered the mid-to-late season, is third place (12 wins, 9 draws, 8 losses, 45 points). Gwangju, which has been undefeated for nine consecutive games (4 wins and 5 draws), has not lost for more than two months since the last match against Ulsan (0-1) on July 2. Gwangju, which won its 12th victory, also wrote a new history of the club in the “Lee Jung-hyo system.”