'Seoul 0-3 Complete Defeat' Coach Lee Young-min Covers Kazu's Blunder That Led to Goals: "Not a Punitive Substitution... My Preparation Was Insufficient" [Sangam Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Young-min (53), Bucheon FC coach, expressed regret over the complete defeat against FC Seoul.

Bucheon suffered a 0-3 complete defeat in the 9th round of the 'Hana Bank K League 1 2026' away match against Seoul held at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on the 21st.

Bucheon, whose upward momentum of two consecutive matches without a loss (one win, one draw) was halted, currently sits in sixth place with 10 points (two wins, four draws, three losses). Meanwhile, Seoul, which had maintained an unbeaten streak since the season opener before suffering its first loss of the season against Daejeon Hana Citizen, bounced back with a victory and surged to the top of the table with 22 points (seven wins, one draw, one loss).

Bucheon lined up a tight and organized defensive formation against league-leading Seoul in the early stages of the match and sought to counterattack using its attackers. However, the team began to crumble after conceding a painful penalty kick goal in the 30th minute of the first half due to Kazu's handball foul.

In stoppage time of the first half, Bucheon allowed space behind the defense, conceding an additional goal to Moon Sun-min on a counterattack. In the second half, the team also conceded a decisive goal to Hwang Do-yoon during a chaotic set-piece situation, displaying shortcomings in both attack and defense.

At the post-match press conference, Coach Lee Young-min expressed regret, stating, "My preparation was insufficient, and the players were unable to showcase their abilities."

He showed unwavering trust in Kazu, who committed the critical blunder. Coach Lee Young-min said, "It is a mistake anyone could make, and it was simply a matter of bad luck." He added, "The substitution at halftime was not punitive but a protective measure to ensure the player's psychological stability and a choice to turn the atmosphere around."

Regarding the observation that the players' bodies appeared generally heavy in the second half, he said, "There could be various factors, such as away-game fatigue or lineup changes." He added, "We will return to the hotel, analyze the footage in detail, and identify the exact cause."

He also took responsibility for criticisms that the team's attack was not smooth when in possession of the ball. Coach Lee Young-min stated, "My failure to help the players find areas where they could perform better is significant." He further announced, "We will discuss with the coaching staff and quickly address the offensive aspects."

Bucheon's next opponent is Kim Cheon (SVP). Coach Lee Young-min identified 'the first home win of the season' and 'stopping the losing streak' as key tasks for the weekend match against Gimcheon. He said, "Since we have not secured a home win this season yet, I will strongly emphasize this point to the players." He added, "Most importantly, in this long league race, preventing a losing streak is the most critical factor. We will unite with the players and thoroughly prepare for the next match."

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*This content was translated by AI.