'He spent the break' Hong Jung-ho excluded from roster → Coach Lee Jeong-hyo reveals the reason: "It's very painful..." [Suwon field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Suwon Samsung's captain and key defender Hong Jung-ho will miss the first match after the break. Lee Jeong-hyo, Suwon Samsung's head coach, expressed deep regret.

Suwon will face Cheonan City FC at 4:30 p.m. on the 25th at Suwon World Cup Stadium in a Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 13 home match.

Currently, Suwon sits in third place with 23 points, trailing behind first-place Busan IPark (28 points) and second-place Seoul E-Land (23 points). Fourth-place Hwaseong FC (22 points) and the joint fifth-place Suwon FC and Daegu FC (21 points) are closing in, making this match a turning point in the race for the top spots.

After five consecutive wins to start the season, Suwon faltered but rebounded by defeating Gyeongnam FC and Busan. However, they slipped to one draw and one loss against Suwon FC and Daegu, causing their momentum to wane. Fortunately, first-place Busan was held by Hwaseong FC, giving Suwon a chance to narrow the gap, and the club regrouped at the clubhouse during last week's break.

In a pre-match press conference, head coach Lee Jeong-hyo said regarding the race for the top spots, "There was no stress about the results. Rather than hoping other teams perform poorly, we just need to focus on doing well ourselves. Realistically, I don't think there is any team in the K League 2 that we can completely dominate and beat. So, we just need to defend well and play what we can do."

When asked about the tactical points prepared during the break, head coach Lee Jeong-hyo said, "The proverb 'Don't let the fear of maggots prevent you from making soy sauce' came to mind. We decided to focus more on the process rather than criticism or unfavorable results. Currently, we are struggling to score goals, so we have been continuously training with the players on how to score."

Through this break, injured players including Song Ju-hoon have returned. However, head coach Lee Jeong-hyo stated, "Hong Jung-ho is resting for player protection." Additionally, the loss of offensive firepower is painful, as top striker Kim Ji-hyun is likely out for the season due to knee surgery.

Regarding this, head coach Lee Jeong-hyo replied, "It is very painful that Hong Jung-ho is absent, but Song Ju-hoon will step in and fill the void well. Currently, Kim Ji-hyun, Park Ji-won, Fesin, and Bruno Silva are injured. Kim Ji-hyun's recovery will likely take a long time. There are many injuries on the offensive side, which is concerning, but rather than worrying before even trying, we will just try. Thanks to the injured players, other players are getting opportunities, and we will manage well."

Cheonan, the opponent, has lost momentum with two consecutive draws (one draw, one loss) in their last two matches, but they boast a stingy defense, ranking second in the league with only 10 goals conceded. The key for Suwon, which has struggled against packed defenses, will be how they break through Cheonan's back line.

When asked how to break Cheonan's solid defensive block, head coach Lee Jeong-hyo said, "Teams that face Suwon prepare to score through counterattacks. Although Iluchenko has not scored recently, that is not a player's problem but a team problem. It is because high-quality passes, such as short passes or final crosses, have not been delivered. Going forward, rather than chasing results, we will take a long-term view and focus on the process. With new roster additions Yeom Min-joon and Yoon Geun-young, and returning player Lee Sang-min showing good form in training, we will find a way."

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*This content was translated by AI.