Lee Dong-gook defeated Ahn Jung-hwan to win 'Gathering Up 4'.."It's more memorable than 10 K-League trophies" [synthesis]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Dong-gook beat Ahn Jung-hwan to win the final title of "Gathering Up 4."

In the 42nd episode of JTBC's representative sports entertainment show "Gathering Up 4" (directed by Sung Chi-kyung / writer Mo Mo-seol / hereinafter referred to as "Gathering Up 4"), Ahn Jung-hwan's "FC Fantasy Star" and Lee Dong-gook's "Lion Hearts FC" who came up after the playoffs faced off for the championship trophy. The two teams, which had been tight with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses against each other in the regular league, also engaged in a bloody battle without any concessions in the final. As a result, the broadcast attracted viewers and ranked first in ratings among general entertainment programs aired at the same time. (Courtesy of Nielsen Korea, nationwide standard of paid broadcasting households)

Attention was focused on the last confrontation between the two rival coaches, who represented South Korea and led the "Fantasy League." Lee Dong-gook, the first in the first half, and Ahn Jung-hwan, the first in the integration. The final between the two teams, which heated the league with hot attacking football, raised tension even before the start. The coaches also claimed ownership of each other by watching the trophies and "2026 North American World Cup tickets and tickets" that appeared in the stadium, and engaged in a tense war of nerves even before the game.

Lee Dong-guk, who came up after overpowering Kim Nam-il's "Sak3UTD" with a five-back tactic in the playoffs, made the same choice in the final. He took the lead from the beginning by increasing the number of defenses to block Ahn Jung-hwan's offensive soccer head on, while also operating set-piece tactics prepared for the final. In the early part of the first half, Lee Shin-ki received a no-mark header chance in a set-piece situation, but the shot went off the goal. "It's a tactic that can only be used once, so it's a shame that I couldn't score a goal," Lee Shin-ki said.

But the disappointment soon turned into jubilation. In the 30th minute of the first half, Lee Yong-woo scored the first goal by finishing Kang Hyun-seok's accurate left-footed cross with a header. In the first half of extra time, Ian volleyed Agent H's cross and scored an additional goal. The score at the end of the first half was 2:0. "No one would have expected Lion Hearts to lead 2:0 in the first half," said Kim Nam-il of Jeon Jung-seok.

In the second half, Ahn Jung-hwan launched a counterattack by increasing the number of attacks with Ryu Eun-kyu at the center. In addition, Lion Hearts players collapsed one by one due to muscle spasms, and the flow of the game changed. At the end of the game, in front of the goal, Lion Hearts' Baek Sung-hyun committed a charging foul against fantasy star Seung-hoon, and a penalty was declared after VAR review. Ryu Eun-kyu, who was a kicker, calmly succeeded and chased until 2:1. The stadium was covered with tension at once.

However, Lion Hearts' defensive concentration did not collapse until the end. Song Ha-bin's super save, as well as the iron wall defense centered on General Lee and Kang Hyun-seok, blocked Fantasy Star's last offensive, and the game ended with a 2:1 Lion Hearts victory.

Lion Hearts players, who suffered severe twists and turns from first place in the first half to lowest in the second half, roared and enjoyed the joy with the confirmation of the championship. Coach Lee Dong-guk shared a moment of emotion while being rinsed by the players. On the other hand, fantasy star players shed tears in regret. Ahn Jung-hwan hid his regret and approached Lee Dong-guk first and congratulated him.

"I'm grateful to the players who gave me my first win as a coach," Lee Dong-guk said. "I've won 10 trophies in the K-League, but I think today's trophy will be the most memorable." Ahn Jung-hwan, the "God of Tidal Wave," also admitted defeat. He said, "I can't win every day. I lost today, and our players won," he said, covering the players to the end.

"Gathering Up 4" received hot attention from the beginning in that Korean soccer legends such as Ahn Jung-hwan, Park Hang-seo, Kim Nam-il, Lee Dong-guk and Koo Ja-cheol gathered on one stage. Those who gathered on the ground again as novice "coach managers" formed a team with their own philosophy and leadership despite the twists and turns, and the process itself became a narrative of the "Fantasy League."

The owner of the championship trophy was determined, but the key shown by "Gathering 4" was not winning or losing. The 10-month journey was the real end of "Gathering 4," the time when players with different careers, ages, and careers truly met and grew up as one for soccer. In this way, "Gathering Up 4" ended the season clearly proving its identity and meaning as Korea's representative sports entertainment.

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*This content was translated by AI.