Ulsan HD to play in K League just 4–5 days after returning from the World Cup... Coach Kim Hyun-seok: "We are grateful for Cho Hyeon-woo and Lee Dong-gyeong's sacrifices for the team" [Gwangju Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

K League 1 club Ulsan HD will kick off the second half of the season with an away match against Gwangju FC. Cho Hyeon-woo, who participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, will guard the goal just five days after returning to Korea. Lee Dong-gyeong also made the substitute bench only four days after his return.

Ulsan will face Gwangju at Gwangju World Cup Stadium on the 5th in Round 16 of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026. This match marks the official start of the second half of the season following a break for the World Cup that began in mid-May.

Cho Hyeon-woo, who represented Korea at the World Cup, will start today. Although he was called up by coach Hong Myung-bo to play in the tournament, he did not see any playing time. Since returning home on the 30th of last month, he has prepared for his appearance just five days later. Lee Dong-gyeong, who also played zero minutes during the World Cup, returned one day later than Cho and earned a spot on the substitute bench. This stands in sharp contrast to other K League matches the previous day, where players who had participated in the World Cup were given rest.

Speaking with reporters before the match, Coach Kim Hyun-seok said, "The players willingly agreed to make sacrifices for the team." He added, "Cho Hyeon-woo was our only option after the backup goalkeeper required another surgery, but fortunately, he stepped up to play for the team. Lee Dong-gyeong returned a day later and must be more fatigued, yet he also volunteered to play. As a coach, I am truly grateful."

Regarding the World Cup break, Kim said, "We have been very positive about how the players prepared and their physical condition during this period. In fact, we believe the training intensity was even higher than during the off-season. The players showed excellent focus, and it seems that such training has improved their bodies." He further noted, "During the break, we focused primarily on refining our defensive organization."

Coach Kim Hyun-seok continued, "We emphasized to the team that they must not concede any goals against Gwangju. We trained with the goal of becoming stronger in the second half, maintaining focus and recognizing that the opponent will do the same. That mindset must be reflected on the field."

In response, Gwangju FC coach Lee Jeong-gyu stated, "We made changes across the board during the break. Both our attack and defense have been completely restructured. While this may sound dramatic, it was part of a pre-planned strategy. In terms of offense, we expect to adopt a more risk-taking build-up style."

Coach Lee added, "Although we had spoken about playing offensively before, we did not actually deploy many players in advanced positions. Our corner kick count was actually the lowest in the league. After examining various reasons, we found that there were few aggressive movements such as penetrating through half-spaces. We believe these aspects have improved significantly during the break."

With FIFA sanctions lifted and player recruitment now possible, several foreign players have recently joined training. When asked by reporters whether the atmosphere had changed, Coach Lee Jeong-gyu replied, "This is actually how Gwangju has always been. I would like to describe it as having become much brighter." He further added, "The club has provided substantial support, and we plan to sign at least two additional foreign players soon."

Today, Gwangju will field a 4-3-3 formation with Friedyonsen leading the attack, supported by Jung Ji-hoon and Hong Yong-jun on the wings. Moon Min-seo and Ju Sejong-Yujeong will operate in midfield. The defensive line will consist of Ha Seung-woon, Ahn Young-gyu, Min Sang-gi, and Kwon Sung-yoon, while Kim Kyung-min will guard the goal.

Ulsan will counter with a 3-4-3 formation centered around Yago, with Kang Sang-woo and Lee Jin-hyeon on the flanks. The midfield will be composed of Cho Hyeon-taek, Bojanic, Lee Kyu-sung, and Shim Sang-min. Defensively, Jung Seung-hyun, Kim Young-gwon, and Trojak will line up. Cho Hyeon-woo will wear the goalkeeper gloves.

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*This content was translated by AI.