"I am ashamed." Hwang Sun-hong bows his head again, still unable to deliver a "first home win" [Daejeon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"There is so much support from the fans, and I feel we have not been able to repay it."

Hwang Sun-hong, manager of Daejeon Hana Citizen, bowed his head once more before the fans. This was at a press conference held immediately after the 2-2 draw against BucheonFC in Round 16 of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026, played on the 4th at Daejeon World Cup Stadium. Once again failing to secure a victory, Daejeon's winless home streak to start this season has now extended to nine matches (four draws and five losses). Only two teams have started their seasons with winless home games: Daejeon and Kim Cheon (SVP) (four draws and three losses).

This was a match where there was an inner hope for a turnaround, so the disappointment of not winning outweighed any satisfaction from the dramatic draw. The game was played one and a half months after the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup break. Having entered the break with lingering regrets in the first half, Daejeon prepared for a second-half resurgence through training camps and other activities. Manager Hwang Sun-hong stated, "We focused on increasing our attacking numbers and improving the wing players' play in the half-spaces during the second half."

The start was not bad at all. Daejeon dominated the first half and broke the deadlock early in the second half with a goal by Ju Min-gyu. However, the lead did not last long. Just three minutes after taking the lead, an unfortunate equalizer came despite goalkeeper Lee Chang-geun's spectacular save. Five minutes later, they conceded a go-ahead goal from a set-piece situation. The defensive concentration issues that have plagued Daejeon throughout this season were repeated once again in their first match after the break.

Nevertheless, even after conceding the lead, Daejeon showed signs of "a changed team." Instead of collapsing, they poured out a strong will to counterattack on the field. Manager Hwang Sun-hong made changes up front by bringing on Diogo and Eom Won-sang, followed by Jung Jae-hee and Kim Hyun-wook, and finally Yu Kang-hyun as the last substitute. Daejeon's shots increased sharply from four in the first half to eleven in the second. In this process, Seo Jin-soo finally scored an equalizer in the 37th minute of the second half.

Daejeon's attack continued until the final moments of the match, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. However, they missed crucial chances by opting for shots instead of passes, and no decisive goal came after the equalizer. When the referee blew the final whistle, players collapsed onto the field, venting their frustration. Daejeon fans, who had come to the stadium expecting a first home win of the season in this first match of the second half, once again left empty-handed. A total of 7,736 fans attended the match that day.

The persistence to equalize despite conceding the lead was certainly worthy of applause. Unlike previous matches where Daejeon would collapse somewhat listlessly when facing a losing position, their performance in this game, aiming for at least an equalizer, was clearly different from before the break. Notably, four out of the five substitutes attempted shots, troubling the opponent. Manager Hwang Sun-hong noted, "We have struggled to score at home so far, but scoring two goals and creating many chances at the end can be considered a gain."

However, conceding the lead less than ten minutes after taking it left the defense as an ongoing concern for manager Hwang Sun-hong and Daejeon even after the break. In particular, regarding the equalizing goal, no one managed to stop the opponent's non-stop shot until the ball, which had bounced high after Lee Chang-geun's save, reached An Tae-hyun. Five minutes later, another set-piece concession occurred too easily, with an opponent's side free kick directly leading to a header by an attacking player.

Manager Hwang Sun-hong expressed his frustration, saying, "There are many embarrassing goals conceded. We need to reduce such incidents. It is always disappointing when we concede. Even if we concede, we should play the same way, but it seems that added pressure causes players' concentration to drop, making each match more difficult." However, he did not blame the players for this disappointment. Manager Hwang Sun-hong stated, "It is disappointing that we cannot deliver results. The team is not gaining strength. I feel ashamed as a manager that we are not able to repay the fans' support," taking responsibility upon himself.

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*This content was translated by AI.