"More important than ranking or performance..." On the verge of a leap to the upper ranks → Coach Yoo Byung-hoon emphasized at [Anyang site]

*This content was translated by AI.

FC Anyang coach Yoo Byung-hoon, who is turning things around after an away defeat, showed strong determination for victory ahead of the match against Daejeon Hana Citizen.

Anyang and Daejeon will face each other in the 22nd round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 at Anyang Stadium on the 8th at 8 p.m.

Currently, Anyang sits fifth in the league with seven wins, nine draws, and five losses (30 points). With Gangwon FC in fourth place (21 matches, 32 points) closely ahead, securing three points in this match is crucial.

In a pre-match interview, Coach Yoo Byung-hoon reflected on reaching his 500th career game, stating, "The fact that Anyang has played 500 games is deeply meaningful because it was achieved through the combined efforts of players, the club, and fans."

Anyang's recent form is encouraging. After the FIFA North America 2026 World Cup break, the team recorded four wins, one draw, and one loss in six K League 1 matches, showing a steep upward trend. Although they were on an unbeaten run of three wins and one draw before suffering a 3-1 away defeat to Ulsan HD on the 2nd, they are now determined to turn things around at home.

Today, Anyang will field Yuki-chi, Blaze, and Choi Geon-joo as a front three, with Kim Bo-kyung, Knezevic, and Lee Jin-yong in midfield. Kim Dong-jin, Lee Chang-yong, Kim Young-chan, and Kang Ji-hoon will form the back four, while Kim Jung-hoon takes his place in goal.

Coach Yoo Byung-hoon said, "The league is a cycle of wins and losses, good times and bad. If we maintain consistency and approach each game with focus, we can deliver a strong performance against Daejeon as well," vowing victory.

Opponents Daejeon are currently ninth in the table with five wins, eight draws, and eight losses (23 points). After four consecutive matches without a win—including a 2-2 draw against Bucheon FC1995—they showed some instability in their Kim Cheon (SVP) match (a 3-2 loss), but bounced back with a 2-0 home victory over Gwangju FC on the 2nd, revitalizing their momentum.

Regarding the competition among front-line attackers, including Blaze who is starting today and El Kurano on the substitute bench, Coach Yoo said, "Each player has clear strengths. It's difficult to say one is definitively superior." He added, "Due to restrictions on foreign player appearances, changes have occurred. Since El Kurano also possesses outstanding qualities, we will continue preparing him to enhance the team's competitiveness."

On Ailton's return from injury, Coach Yoo stated, "He has returned steadily. We assessed his physical condition as being above 80%, so we included him in the lineup to help regain match sharpness."

Despite the hot weather, Anyang is expected to showcase its characteristic aggressive style of play. Coach Yoo Byung-hoon emphasized, "I have instructed the players to approach each game with a mindset focused on challenge, development, and climbing higher rather than just ranking or current performance. Since this is a home match, we will not sit back and wait. We plan to take an active approach from the first half."

He also outlined preparations for Daejeon's tactical changes. "Daejeon employs various formations such as zero-forward or three-back systems, so we have prepared all necessary plans accordingly," Coach Yoo said. "We will carefully manage substitution timing and organizational responses in line with the opponent's adjustments."

Kwon Kyung-won and Mateus, who returned after playing against Manchester City during the midweek K League schedule, will be on the bench. Regarding their availability, Coach Yoo noted, "The experience gained from facing a world-class team will become a great asset for both the players and the team. We will flexibly utilize them through substitutions in the second half depending on the situation."

Finally, addressing the suspension of starting midfielder Kim Jung-hyun due to accumulated yellow cards, Coach Yoo added, "The defensive capabilities of replacement options such as Lee Jin-yong and Han Ga-ram are sufficient. The key lies in how organically surrounding players support during offensive transitions, so we have focused our preparation on this aspect."

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*This content was translated by AI.