"I made it to the round of 16 but..." Director Lee Jung-hyo said, "I was embarrassed on the bench... I'll reflect on myself first."
"I made it to the round of 16 but..." Director Lee Jung-hyo said, "I was embarrassed on the bench... I'll reflect on myself first."
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Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo, who was completely defeated in an away match in Shandong but confirmed his advance to the round of 16, vowed to show a different performance in the league's opening game.
Gwangju FC lost 1-3 to Shandong Taishan in the seventh round of the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) league stage of the 2024-25 season at the Olympic Sports Center in China at 9 p.m. on the 11th (Korea time). The defeat left Gwangju with 13 points, but confirmed its advance to the round of 16 in the eastern region.
Gwangju, which had been seeking to confirm the round of 16, went all out. Gwangju started Hayes, Shin Chang-moo, Park Tae-joon, Yoo Je-ho, Park Jung-in, Kim Jin-ho, Byun Jun-su, Cho Sung-kwon, Lee Min-ki and Kim Kyung-min. The home team Shandong started Zeka and Bako, who played on the K-League stage at a time when Choi Kang-hee was not able to sit on the bench due to disciplinary action.
Shandong, who took the lead early in the game, scored the first goal. In the 15th minute of the first half, Zeka, who was on the right side, scored an elaborate cross, and Baco controlled it and shook the net with a sharp shot. Gwangju allowed one more goal. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Zeka connected the ball that Creezang put up by winning the contest with a shot, and was sucked into the goal in a mixed situation. Gwangju then put in Ahn Young-gyu in place of Byun Jun-su, who was injured in the 34th minute of the first half.
Gwangju made up for one goal. Lee Min-ki, who received Hayes' pass at the 35th minute in the first half, attempted a right-footed shot from the left side of the box, and the ball deflected wide off the defense, leading to a goal. However, Gwangju conceded one more goal. Liu connected a cross from the side in the extra time of the first half with her head, and Creezang, who was at the gate, calmly finished it off.
Later, Gwangju tried to turn it around with an active replacement card, but no comeback goal came out. Gwangju had a free kick chance in front of the arc in the second half of the extra time, and Asani wrapped his left foot but was blocked by the wall. Eventually, the game ended with Gwangju's defeat.
After the game, coach Lee Jung-hyo said, "I think I lost to the opponent in every way. The league is starting soon, and I think I need to find a new solution. As a manager, I was embarrassed while sitting on the bench. I will reflect on myself first, and I will seriously think about how to play this year's league with the players. I am so sorry that the fans came so far despite the rain. As a manager, I will never show you such a game again. I want to thank the fans and tell them that you worked hard." 스포츠토토
"The foreign players in Shandong Taishan were very good at individual performances. It is the coach's own responsibility that he failed to prevent them. There were some difficulties," he said, expressing regret and respectful greetings to the opposing team even after the loss. "I think it is something that we should do. I always greet fans to thank them for coming to watch soccer and supporting the players. I think this is a natural part."