Ji So-yun: "If North Korean players curse, we will curse back; if they kick, we will kick back too"... Fierce spirit against hometown rival [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

"My hometown is rough and full of curses. If they curse, we will curse back; if they kick, we will kick back together."

Ji So-yun, captain of Suwon FC Woomin, declared a direct confrontation ahead of the match against a North Korean club. This is a powerful warning message befitting a veteran who has extensive experience facing North Korea since her days with the national team.

Suwon FC Woomin head coach Park Gil-young and captain Ji So-yun, aiming for the first-ever final appearance by a Korean club and the Asian championship, attended an official press conference held on the afternoon of the 19th at Suwon Sports Complex, one day before the AWCL semi-final single-match against their hometown team, North Korea.

Speaking into the microphone that day, Ji So-yun evaluated the opposing hometown team: "We watched the match and checked the players. Their strength is on par with the North Korea national team. They are also the squad of the representative team."

Additionally, Ji So-yun vowed: "Suwon FC Woomin is different from last year's squad. We will respond strongly to the opponent's rough play and curses. If they curse, we will curse back; if they kick, we will kick back."

Head coach Park Gil-young, the team's commander, also backed Ji So-yun's words. Suwon FC Woomin has a painful memory of losing 0-3 to their hometown team during the group stage last November. Coach Park recalled, "When we faced them in Myanmar, it felt more like a silent war than a tactical battle. There were severe tackles and curses. At the time, I felt the players were very scared, so I spoke harshly to them after the first half ended."

However, the situation is now completely different. Coach Park stated, "Our strength has improved to the point where we defeated last year's champion Wuhan Jiangda 4-0. Since we are playing at home, we will respond strongly. Although our hometown team is stronger than us, we will not think about that and will compete with Suwon FC Woomin's own style of football. We will never lose at home."

Currently, Suwon FC Woomin faces a somewhat chaotic situation despite playing at home. Although they were originally scheduled to use the same accommodation as the North Korean team, they had to urgently move to Hotel B in Suwon due to route separation issues.

Furthermore, for the semi-final match to be held at Suwon Sports Complex at 7 p.m. on the 20th, a joint civilian support group of about 3,000 people cheering for both teams has been assigned to the seats opposite the main stand, making it difficult to expect one-sided home support. Even the variable seats, which were used to maximize the home-field advantage, will not be sold for this match.

Regarding this special environment and external noise, Coach Park said, "We tried not to think about anything outside of football. It is true that much attention is focused on our hometown team, but we told the squad not to worry about it and to focus only on the match. Whether it is a joint support group or supporters, they will ultimately cheer for us. We will focus solely on the match and do our best," showing an unwavering demeanor.

For Ji So-yun, who has experienced numerous international tournaments including in Europe, this match is also special. Ji So-yun said, "I am happy to be able to play the semi-finals in Korea, and I am grateful for the environment created to hold the tournament. Although I have much experience in the European Champions League, the feeling is different for a tournament held in Korea." She added, "This is the first time I have seen so many media outlets covering a match. Since the opponent is a North Korean team, it seems they are paying a lot of attention. We will repay that interest with excellent performance and secure a victory in tomorrow's match."

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*This content was translated by AI.