Director Kim Ki-dong said, "I thought about replacing him, but it's a good thing I didn't do it." [the scene of Sangam]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Ki-dong (55) of FC Seoul expressed his feelings about ending the "Sangam jinx" against Jeonbuk Hyundai.

Seoul won 1-0 with Klimala's theater goal in extra time in the second half in the seventh round of the "Hana Bank K League 1 2026" home game against Jeonbuk Hyundai at 2 p.m. on the 11th at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Seoul, which continued its undefeated streak in the opening period, led the league with 16 points (5 wins and 1 draw). Jeonbuk, whose three-game winning streak has been dampened, ranked second with 11 points (3 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses).

It meant more than one win for Seoul. This is because Seoul finally ended the "Sangam Jinx," which failed to beat Jeonbuk at home for about nine years and 3205 days after winning 2-1 in July 2017. Until just before, Seoul was inferior to Jeonbuk at home with three draws and 11 losses in 14 games.

It was simply a theater win. The game, which was likely to end without scoring, was scored when Klimala fell and shot a ball that Yazan stabbed into the door from the left side of the penalty box in extra time in the second half. Sangambeol was filled with hot shouts.

After the game, head coach Kim Ki-dong said at a press conference, "Even if it ended 0-0, it was a satisfactory game that I felt that our players had grown a lot," adding, "The tenacity to win until the end eventually created a goal." The fans' support gave the players a great boost, and it became an opportunity to grow one step further by catching a strong team," he said.

Coach Kim Ki-dong added tactical explanations for the struggles of the first half and the rebound of the second half. "I took the lead well until the first 20 minutes of the game, but I was embarrassed by the opponent's pressure and couldn't find a path," he said. He explained, "I specifically instructed how to pull out and solve the opponent at half-time, and thanks to the players' good implementation, I was able to lead the second half."

He also expressed his faith in Klimala, the winner of the final goal. Coach Kim Ki-dong confessed, "I thought about replacing Klimala because she was not noticeable due to the fierce battle between the center," but added, "But I believed there was a 'one shot' of Klimala." I think it's a great move to play today to give him a chance until the end without replacing him," he said with a smile.

He showed a calm and firm attitude toward the "Sangam Jinx," which he cut off for the first time in nine years. He said, "After coming to Seoul, I heard a lot of jinx stories, but I thought I could go over it enough. Rather than being obsessed with the results, thorough preparation for each game led to a good flow, he said. "Kim Jin-soo also stressed before the game that he should be cool until the end, and that mentality was the driving force behind today's victory."

Coach Kim Ki-dong then gave meaning to the change in the team's identity. "In the past, certain star players led the team, but now it's a team where all players are creating an identity together," he said. "I'm happy to hold a six-point game, but I have a tight schedule waiting for the match against Ulsan right now. We will consider the management of the team and continue the upward trend," he stressed.

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*This content was translated by AI.