'Hong Myung-bo's three-back system order' Kim Moon-hwan's confidence: "Wing-back for the national team? Even if the orders differ, there's no problem if the role is understood" [Sangam Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Daejeon Hana Citizen defender Kim Moon-hwan (31) stated that "as long as the role is clearly understood", there is no problem even with the shift in his role between a four-back system for his club and a five-back system for the national team.

Daejeon secured a 1-0 away victory against Seoul at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 18th in the 'Hana Bank K-League 1 2026' Round 8, thanks to a winning goal by Yu Kang-hyun.

Daejeon, which successfully broke its three-game losing streak, climbed from 11th to 6th place with 9 points (2 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses). FC Seoul, which suffered its first defeat since the season opener after eight matches, maintained the top spot with 19 points (6 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss).

Starting as the right full-back in a 4-3-3 formation, Kim Moon-hwan assisted Yu Kang-hyun's opening goal, contributing to the team's clean-sheet victory.

In the 16th minute of the first half, Kim Bong-soo threaded a forward pass to Kim Moon-hwan, who was making a run into the space behind the defense. Kim Moon-hwan quickly chased the ball and delivered a low pass toward the goal, which Yu Kang-hyun slid to push in. Daejeon scored an 'unexpected' opening goal against Seoul, which had been on an unbeaten run, and held off all of Seoul's fierce attacks in the remaining time to secure a valuable victory.

Kim Moon-hwan blocked potential goals for his team with stable covering and bolstered counter-attacks on the flanks with aggressive overlapping during the attack. His experienced performance, spanning both defense and offense, became a major driving force for Daejeon's victory.

Meeting Kim Moon-hwan in the post-match mixed zone, he shared his thoughts on the victory, stating "although the team's atmosphere was poor due to early-season struggles, all members made tremendous efforts for this win" and "the combined effort of everyone allowed us to break the losing streak".

Regarding Daejeon's recent slump, despite being considered a championship contender before the season, he calmly said "the players discussed that there was a slight lack of game focus and the will to win" and "that they aimed to address mental aspects before tactical ones before entering the match".

He also emphasized the role of veterans. Kim Moon-hwan stated "that senior players continuously communicated with younger teammates to navigate the crisis and provided stability" and "that the trust and following of the seniors by mid-level players and the youngest members led to positive results".

Even in situations where the defensive line frequently changes, he cited 'trust' as the secret to achieving the season's first clean-sheet match. He added "that it is crucial how much players communicate and trust each other, regardless of who is on the field" and "that the intense desire not to concede a goal created today's victory".

In the South Korean national team led by coach Hong Myung-bo, Kim Moon-hwan plays as a wing-back in a five-back system. When asked about the role changes between a four-back and a five-back system, Kim Moon-hwan responded "that the team has its own orders, the national team has its own orders, and the roles I need to fulfill are different. I believe that if we recognize these aspects and enter the field, there will be no major problem".

Finally, regarding the upcoming 2026 North American World Cup, he vowed "personally, I was worried because my performance for my club was not satisfactory, but I wanted to prove my value again with this match" and "that I will contribute to the victory by pouring all my strengths into my club's performance and prepare well for the World Cup".

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*This content was translated by AI.