Despite the defeat, Daegu FC showed their skill, efficient counterattack and height, without regret.
Daegu, led by coach Choi Won-kwon, lost 2-3 in an away game against Pohang Steelers in the first round of the Hana One Q 2023 K League 1 held at Pohang Steel Yard on the 26th. Ko Jae-hyun’s opening goal in the 29th minute of the first half and Sejingya’s penalty kick in the 19th minute of the second half took the lead in succession, but Pohang Lee Ho-jae scored consecutive goals and knelt down.
It was the official directorial debut of Choi Won-kwon that day. Coach Choi suddenly took over as acting manager in September of last year and led the relegated team to a miraculous survival. This season, he is promoted to full manager and plays his first season. However, Daegu did not have a clear power reinforcement ahead of this season. Domestic resources such as Jeong Tae-woo (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Park Byung-hyun (Daejeon Hana Citizen), and Kim Woo-seok (Gangwon FC) left the team. I brought Kim Kang-san, but he was not included in the list for this day due to an injury.
Coach Choi declared early on, “I will play soccer that Daegu is good at.” After retiring after the 2016 season, coach Choi continues his coaching career in Daegu. He knows Daegu better than anyone else. On this day, he also built a three-back to block Pohang’s attack and then launched an efficient counterattack.
In the first half, Daegu’s ball possession was only 26%. Even in the second half, the share was always 20%. The overall share of the game was 25%. Even so, the attacks made from occasional opportunities were quite menacing. And he made sure to use the height that Daegu boasts. In the 29th minute of the first half, Daegu, which was embarrassed by Pohang’s offensive, entered the penalty box with a single back pass. He failed to score, but in the ensuing corner kick situation, Ko Jae-hyun, who received Hong Jeong-woon’s header pass, pushed it into the net and shook the net. It was the moment when Hong Jeong-woon’s height and Ko Jae-hyeon’s location selection shined. 먹튀검증
It was the same in the second half. Daegu gave Pohang Jeong Jae-hee an equalizer in the 45th minute, but he quickly overcame it. In the 9th minute of the second half, coach Choi put forward striker Edgar to strengthen the offense. 10 minutes later, Pohang goalkeeper Hwang In-jae parried Edgar’s header after receiving a corner kick from Sejingya. Afterwards, Ko Jae-hyun tried to shoot the rebounded ball again, but Pohang striker Kim In-seong stopped it and committed a foul. The referee declared a penalty kick, and Sejingya, who started as the kicker, succeeded in turning the ball around again with a calm finish. Edgar’s height power, which is not yet in perfect physical condition, led to the goal.
Daegu showed the highest efficiency with 5 shots and 4 effective shots even when the possession rate stayed in the 20% range. Although the defensive concentration was shaken at the end of the second half and consecutive goals were lost, it was different from what was feared before the season. It was confirmed that the soccer coach Choi knows well and that Daegu is good at is still powerful.