'No Excuses' Painful Comeback Defeat, Coach Lee Jung-hyo: "If You Can't Overcome the Pressure, You Don't Deserve to Be at Suwon Samsung" [Suwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

In the Suwon derby, realized for the first time in three years, Suwon Samsung coach Lee Jung-hyo strongly demanded mental fortitude from his players after suffering a painful comeback defeat.

On the 3rd, Suwon Samsung lost 1-3 to Suwon FC in an away match of the 10th round of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 held at Suwon Sports Complex. Although they took the lead with an early goal by Ko Seung-beom, they collapsed after conceding three consecutive goals in the second half.

In a post-match press conference, Coach Lee Jung-hyo commented, "Suwon FC played a game worthy of winning. Football is not just about the first half. You must maintain your performance and energy levels in the second half, and in that regard, we were greatly outplayed by Suwon FC."

He continued, bowing his head, "We are not champions; we are challengers. I felt we needed more mental preparation. I feel a sense of responsibility for not being able to repay the fans who traveled all the way to the away game."

On this day, Suwon dominated the match until the middle of the first half but began to falter rapidly after missing additional scoring opportunities. Coach Lee diagnosed, "It seems we felt impatient because no additional goals were scored. That led to a decline in both performance and mental strength." Regarding the issue of finishing chances, he declared a direct approach: "If you can't score from chances like these, you just need to create more opportunities."

In particular, Coach Lee Jung-hyo took a firm stance on the pressure to win the title, which is essential for rebuilding Suwon as a traditional powerhouse. He stated, "If you are a professional player, especially a Suwon Samsung player, you should naturally feel that pressure. There is no need for excuses." He strongly added, "If you cannot overcome the pressure, you do not deserve to be at Suwon Samsung."

He also addressed the recent trend of conceding more goals, following the 3-2 victory against Busan IPark. Coach Lee emphasized, "This is a concern. There is pressure not to settle for a draw after conceding a goal, but that is all an excuse. No justification is needed. We must accept it and overcome it." Specifically regarding the team's collapse in counter-attack situations, he revealed, "We tend to waver when the game does not flow in the desired direction. I will reflect on this myself and find solutions through training."

He also reacted coolly to Ko Seung-beom's early goal in the 18th minute of the first half. Although the goal was created through a prepared tactic in a set-piece situation, the result was a defeat. Coach Lee stated, "It was a goal created by my teammates, and Senior Coach Ma Cheol-jun prepared it well. However, since we lost the match, it is appropriate not to attach too much significance to it. It would have been nice if it had been the winning goal, but it is regrettable."

Suwon, who failed to catch up with the top-ranked Busan (25 points) and remains in second place, now looks to turn the tide by returning to their home ground. Coach Lee announced, "We will accept the result and recover well. We will also prepare well for the home match against Daegu FC to be held this weekend."

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*This content was translated by AI.