'Fourth-place surge' Hwaseong FC coach Cha Du-ri: "I never thought we'd rise this high" [Hwaseong on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

K League 2 side Hwaseong FC secured its first consecutive victory of the season and extended its unbeaten run to four matches (three wins, one draw), climbing to fourth place. Coach Cha Du-ri said, "I never thought we would rise to this level (fourth place) at this point," adding, "I am extremely grateful to the players."

Under the leadership of coach Cha Du-ri, Hwaseong defeated Ansan Greeners 2-0 in a home match of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 10 held at Hwaseong Sports Complex Main Stadium on the 3rd. Kim Byeong-oh scored the opening goal in the 6th minute of the second half, and Woo Je-wook's late strike in stoppage time sealed the valuable three points. With this victory, Hwaseong achieved its first consecutive win of the season and extended its unbeaten streak to four matches (three wins, one draw). Although other teams still have matches remaining, Hwaseong has accumulated 15 points (four wins, three draws, three losses), rising to fourth place among 17 teams immediately after the Ansan match.

Coach Cha Du-ri reflected on the match, saying, "It was an important game, and I am grateful that the team showed patience and played well. I told the players at halftime that patience was needed. Although they seemed to lack energy in the early stages, fortunately, (Kim) Byeong-oh scored the opening goal. After that, we dropped our defensive line and created chances. We should have scored when we created chances, but that part left some regrets. Looking back at the games where we lost points so far, we should have ended the games quickly with scores like 2-0 or 3-0."

In fact, on this day, Hwaseong, leading 1-0, lowered its defensive line and countered with quick transitions. Especially after Demetrius and Jeol Jae-min were substituted in, the team gained momentum and created several decisive scoring opportunities. However, failing to capitalize on these chances repeatedly, Hwaseong conceded an equalizing goal to Hatzel in the 3rd minute of stoppage time, leading to a moment of regret. It seemed as though the recent pattern of conceding late goals and feeling regret was repeating itself.

However, the referee pointed out Hatzel's handball foul and disallowed the goal. Coach Cha Du-ri said, "Immediately after conceding, I thought, 'This is happening again.' It is true that I had a regretful thought that 'perhaps we still don't have the strength to finish such games cleanly.' It was a fleeting moment, but I think I had many thoughts while sitting on the bench." He added, "If it was luck, then it was luck; if it was a handball, then it was a handball. The referee made an accurate call."

The team applauded Veteran Kim Byeong-oh (37), who started after four matches and scored the opening and winning goal. Coach Cha said, "You can see his energy and love for football even from outside during training. He showed energy all week long, and despite his age, he displayed the passion and love for football, which is why I selected him to start. I am grateful that he also showed it with a goal," smiling.

Although the season is ongoing, when asked by reporters if he expected to be in fourth place, Coach Cha Du-ri replied, "No." He continued, "The squad has improved partially compared to last year, and investment has increased a bit, but the players are still young and have ups and downs. If they explode, they could become a scary team, but I also thought that if they face difficulties in the process, it might take more time."

Coach Cha further added, "I never thought we would rise to this level at this point. I only hoped for progress in every match." He said, "Today, we brought joy to the fans and gave confidence to the players. It was a game that showed the positive energy we aim to achieve. I am extremely grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.