19-year-old prospect's debut red card nightmare → 37-year-old captain urgently deployed, Hong Jeong-ho candidly admits "Honestly, at the time of the red card..." [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

The captain returned to the pitch after overcoming an injury. Although 19-year-old prospect Mo Kyung-bin (born in 2007) made his unexpected debut and was sent off, Hong Jeong-ho (37), who stepped onto the field much earlier than planned, showcased solid defensive strength and led the team to a scoreless victory.

On the 4th, Suwon secured a 1-0 win over Seongnam FC in their Hana Bank K League2 Round 16 home match at Suwon World Cup Stadium, holding on to Kang Hyun-mook's first-half goal scored in the 21st minute until the final whistle.

Substituted in right after the second half began, Hong Jeong-ho stabilized the defense amid a numerical disadvantage caused by Mo Kyung-bin's dismissal and delivered three crucial points for the team.

In an interview at the mixed zone after the match, Hong Jeong-ho said, "It was fun to play again after such a long time, and I feel really good."

Hong Jeong-ho's substitution came much earlier than planned. Originally, head coach Lee Jung-hyo intended for him to play only about 20 to 25 minutes in the late stages of the second half, considering his physical condition. However, Mo Kyung-bin, who had just earned a starting debut opportunity, was sent off due to accumulated yellow cards in the 33rd minute of the first half, triggering an emergency response from the defense.

Reflecting on the situation at the time, Hong Jeong-ho explained, "The coach originally told me he planned for my playing time today to be around 20 to 25 minutes. But when Kyung-bin was sent off, the coach urgently asked if I could play for 45 minutes starting from the beginning of the second half."

He continued with a smile, saying, "The coach told me I had to play if asked," and added, "With Kyung-bin's dismissal, my only thought was that as a veteran, I needed to take responsibility and help the team."

He spared no warm advice or encouragement for his distant junior, Mo Kyung-bin, who suffered the pain of a red card in his debut match. All four members of Suwon's back-four defense lineup that day, including Mo Kyung-bin, were graduates of Maetan High School, Suwon's youth academy.

Hong Jeong-ho recalled, "Kyung-bin felt terribly sorry for being sent off in his debut match. But I told him it's something that can happen in football. Not wanting to leave a bad memory for my junior, the players said among themselves, 'Let's unite as one and play harder and defend better to make up for Kyung-bin's absence.'"

In particular, he praised Mo Kyung-bin's performance before his dismissal. Hong Jeong-ho said, "Until Kyung-bin was sent off, he showed truly perfect and excellent play. Watching from the bench, I felt so secure that I thought, 'I can comfortably play just 20 minutes as originally planned.'"

He further added, "Today's mistake will be a major preventive shot and valuable experience for Kyung-bin to grow into an even better player. Although he may face a fine due to regulations, since we won and secured a debut victory, let's consider it as receiving a celebration bonus instead." He comforted his student along with head coach Lee Jung-hyo.

Regarding his own physical condition, he stated, "It hasn't even been two weeks since my return, so I'm not at full strength yet. Since the second half of the season is long with many matches, it seems the coach is also adjusting my playing time accordingly." He continued, "Just as young players like Kyung-bin showed great energy in today's match, I will prepare well to maintain good physical condition and repay the team and my juniors."

There was also a heart-stopping moment when he narrowly avoided a goal while repelling Seongnam's relentless attack in the second half. In the 17th minute of the second half, a cross from Seongnam struck Hong Jeong-ho's body and headed toward the goal, nearly resulting in an own goal. Fortunately, after video assistant referee (VAR) review, an offside call was made, relieving his anxiety. Hong Jeong-ho remarked, "Since I haven't played in a while, my body isn't keeping up with my enthusiasm, which led to that situation." He added, "We had two chances—one at our own goal and one at the opponent's goal—so it felt like a proper debut. I think I need to get more physically fit."

He also revealed an anecdote about a counterattack shot in the 28th minute of the second half, which head coach Lee Jung-hyo mentioned he would tease Hong Jeong-ho about for a long time during the post-match press conference. At that moment, despite being a central defender, Hong Jeong-ho sprinted approximately 70 meters toward the opponent's goal and connected Hae-se's cross into a shot.

Hong Jeong-ho explained the situation at the time: "As I charged forward to attack, it felt like the opposing players didn't mark me because I'm a defender. Seeing that the goal was open, I decided to jump in."

He further said with a smile, "At the moment in front of the goal, lactic acid suddenly built up in my legs and they gave out. It may sound like an excuse, but I should have scored; it's regrettable." He sighed with relief, saying, "I guess I'm really a defender after all. The coach probably wants me to focus on defending. Since the match ended 1-0, it's fine. If I hadn't scored, my teammates would have had a harder time defending the goal."

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*This content was translated by AI.