'Red card in the 7th minute of the first half led to numerical disadvantage and defeat': Seongnam FC head coach Jeon Kyung-jun says, "Disappointed about conceding from set pieces... the consolation goal is a positive sign" [Mokdong]

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeon Kyung-jun (53), head coach of Seongnam FC, who lost despite being at a numerical disadvantage, expressed his disappointment.

On the 24th at 7 p.m., Seongnam suffered a 1-3 defeat in an away match against Seoul E-Land at the Mokdong Stadium main field in the 13th round of the 'Hana Bank K League 2 2026'.

Seongnam's four-game unbeaten run (1 win, 3 draws) came to an end, leaving them in 10th place with 15 points (3 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses). Meanwhile, Seoul E-Land moved up from 5th to 2nd place with 23 points (7 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses). The gap with the top-ranked Busan IPark, which has played one fewer match and holds 28 points, is five points.

It was painful for Seongnam that Park Soobin, a key midfielder, received a direct red card just seven minutes into the first half. Placed at a numerical disadvantage early on, they conceded two goals to Park Jae-yong and Eulher in the first half alone. However, the second half was different. Displaying great fighting spirit, they created several dangerous chances for an equalizer, making the fact that they were playing with ten men seem irrelevant. They included a consolation goal by Kim Min-jae. However, they ultimately conceded a late decisive goal and sadly ended their four-game unbeaten run.

After the match, head coach Jeon Kyung-jun said at a press conference, "It was a difficult game due to the early red card," and added, "The players did their best in their own way, but there were disappointing moments," expressing his regret.

Regarding Kim Min-jae, who came on as a substitute despite the numerical disadvantage and scored the consolation goal, showing good performance, Jeon said, "He has been training hard in practice. I believe that when the opportunity comes, it will be a time for him to prove himself," offering a positive evaluation.

He also could not hide his disappointment over conceding from a set piece, which decided the match. Head coach Jeon Kyung-jun stated, "We prepared well to match the opponent's tactics, but in the end, it is very disappointing that we conceded goals from set pieces. We will prepare well to ensure such situations do not repeat."

Regarding goalkeeper Lee Gwang-yeon, who made a mistake during the match, Jeon showed firm trust instead of reprimanding him. The head coach said, "He must have tried his best as well," and emphasized, "I will understand the situation accurately, have sincere conversations, and help ensure the same mistake does not happen again. I have no intention of placing all the blame on a specific player just because a goal was conceded."

On plans to reinforce the thin squad during the upcoming summer transfer window, Jeon took a cautious stance. He said, "There is no specific feedback yet, and we are observing the situation. Since I have not been with the club for long, I am making efforts to continue communicating with the club regarding squad reinforcement."

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*This content was translated by AI.