"It seems expectations vary from person to person," Coach Lee Jeong-hyo remains unsatisfied despite securing his first win in three matches. [Changwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Although the agonizing goal drought was finally broken, Suwon Samsung head coach Lee Jeong-hyo expressed no satisfaction. Emphasizing the players' courage and willingness to take risks over the result, he vowed to continue striving for improvement.

Under Lee Jeong-hyo's leadership, Suwon defeated Gyeongnam FC 1-0 in an away match of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 8, held at Changwon Football Center at 2 p.m. on the 18th.

After failing to score in two consecutive matches since the match against Yongin FC on the 28th of last month, Suwon secured three points for the first time in three matches thanks to Park Ji-won's decisive goal in the 34th minute of the second half, solidifying their sole second-place position.

In the post-match press conference, Coach Lee Jeong-hyo stated, ""Whether at home or away, many fans come to the stadium. I hope the players will also challenge with equal courage" and added, ""Regardless of the team's performance, it seems we have finally broken our recent poor run. I want to congratulate the players on their victory and express my gratitude to Suwon fans as always"."

On this day, Suwon struggled against Gyeongnam's tenacious compact defense. Bruno Silva's shot in the first half missed the target, and Kim Do-yeon's shot in the early second half struck the goalpost, compounding their misfortune. To break the frustrating flow, Coach Lee Jeong-hyo simultaneously substituted in Ilyuchenko, Park Ji-won, and Ko Seung-beom in the 18th minute of the second half. Ultimately, Park Ji-won, receiving a pass from Ilyuchenko, scored the decisive goal, making the tactical substitution a success.

However, Coach Lee Jeong-hyo expressed more regret than joy over the victory. He remarked, ""It was frustrating and disappointing that the players did not attempt things with enough courage" and added, ""We trained to build up play from the back. Even with risks, we needed to advance. Seeing the players appear too cautious on the field was regrettable. I believe this is also my responsibility"."

He also did not lower his guard regarding the upcoming match against Busan IPark (22 points), who currently hold sole first place. At the same time, Busan defeated Suwon FC 2-1, continuing their unbeaten streak. Coach Lee Jeong-hyo emphasized, ""Suwon will naturally aim to control every match. We will likely face difficult games ahead. Breaking through compact defenses is a challenge we must solve in every match" and noted, ""Busan will likely focus on securing points rather than taking risks. They have no reason to attack aggressively. We will continue training with the players over the week to find ways to break through"."

When asked about the desperate situation where the coaching staff even bowed deeply immediately after the goal, Coach Lee Jeong-hyo remained silent for a few seconds before briefly responding, ""It seems expectations vary from person to person", concluding the press conference.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.