'Coach Quinta suddenly interrupts interview → flowers of laughter bloom' Kim Sun-min: "I wish I could have played soccer with the coach for longer..." The wish of Cheongju's captain [Mokdong on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Sun-min (35), the "captain" of Cheongju, shared his overwhelming feelings about the season's first victory.

Cheongju secured a 2-1 comeback victory in an away match against Seoul E-Land at Mokdong Stadium on the 7th in the 15th round of the 'Hana Bank K League 2 2026'. This marked Cheongju's first win after 14 league matches, bringing a sense of triumph. The team also moved up one spot in the standings from 15th to 14th with 13 points (1 win, 10 draws, 3 losses).

On this day, Cheongju struggled throughout the first half, managing not a single shot and suffering from a lack of offensive opportunities. However, they displayed remarkable resilience in the second half by actively raising their defensive line with a tactical change.

Lee Jong-eon equalized late in the second half by capitalizing on a painful defensive error by the opponent, restoring balance to the match. Riding the momentum, Garcia converted a pass from Vandeira in stoppage time to score a dramatic comeback goal, securing a valuable victory away from home.

After the match, the Cheongju locker room was filled with a festive atmosphere. The excited cheers of the players continued to pour out. Kim Sun-min, met in the joint interview area, said, "I am deeply moved and overwhelmed. It's been a long time since I've felt this joy," expressing his overwhelming feelings.

He honestly opened up about the emotional toll of the delayed first victory and the team's pride. Kim Sun-min stated, "The draws lasted longer than I expected, which surprised me, and I felt terribly sorry to the fans. However, we were proud. Even though we didn't win, we consistently proved our performance and maintained a game where we dominated the opponent and kept them contained, regardless of who the opponent was."

The secret to the squad remaining steady despite the prolonged slump was the unwavering trust in Coach Luis Quinta. He said, "There is no need to mention the players' trust in the coach; we believed in the coach's style of soccer. The coach's approach to the game, common sense, and way of thinking are completely different from those of Korean coaches. I strongly resonate with what was said in Lee Seung-woo's interview."

He continued, "It is truly amazing that the players are training and playing in such a completely different atmosphere, and I am learning a lot. The biggest reason for having such good matches and playing such good soccer is the coach's role."

He added, "All the players enjoy and find fun in the coach's style of soccer, and they are proving this on the training ground. If we want to play soccer with the coach for a longer time, we must achieve good results, so all the players played for the coach. Since this is the coach's first victory, the joy was doubled." He smiled.

Coincidentally, the day before the match was Coach Quinta's birthday. Kim Sun-min said, "The players prepared a video message and a cake yesterday. Since the coach likes golf, we also gave him a gift to use when he plays golf. We promised to give him a birthday present with today's victory, and we were able to keep that promise."

He also expressed his deep affection for his family. Kim Sun-min said, "I miss my wife a lot. Because I came home in a very different mood, my wife and daughters were very cautious." He confessed, "My daughters told me that even when the team is winning, by the 60th minute of the second half, they ask, 'Mom, did you get a goal?' This made me realize we need to work much harder."

He then said, "My daughters are going on a trip the day after tomorrow and told me, 'Win confidently so we can travel and enjoy delicious food, so please earn some money.' I am so happy that I was able to keep that promise today." He smiled broadly.

At the end of the interview, Coach Quinta, completely immersed in joy, suddenly appeared, celebrating with Kim Sun-min and posing for photos. Thus, the mixed zone concluded the day with a festive atmosphere hotter than ever before.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.