'Anyang comeback loss → 9G unbeaten streak ends' Coach Costa of Jeju, "No regrets even in defeat: 'If we must lose, we should lose like today'" [On-site at Anyang]

*This content was translated by AI.

Sergio Costa (53), head coach of JejuSK, remained composed despite a painful comeback loss.

Jeju suffered a 1-2 comeback defeat against Anyang in their home match for the Round of 16 of the '2026~2027 Hana Bank Korea Cup' held at Anyang Stadium on the afternoon of the 19th at 7:30 p.m.

Jeju, which had defeated Anyang four days earlier in the K League 1 Round 23 matchup, swallowed their disappointment after losing in the return match just four days later. Their unbeaten run in official matches over nine consecutive games (four wins and five draws) came to an end. Meanwhile, Anyang achieved a historic feat by advancing to the Korea Cup quarterfinals for the first time in club history.

Jeju took the lead in the 31st minute of the first half with a goal from Choi Byung-wook following Shin Sang-eun's breakthrough on the wing, ending the first half ahead 1-0. However, their defense wavered in the second half, conceding consecutive goals. In the third minute of the second half, a clearance error by Ithalo during a set-piece situation allowed opposing player Kim Young-chan to score an equalizing header. Then, in the 23rd minute of the second half, Jeju was pushed back during a defensive duel and conceded a go-ahead goal from Lee Jin-yong. They attempted to find an equalizer afterward but were unsuccessful.

After the match, Coach Costa commented, "The flow was evenly matched throughout the 90th minutes in terms of positioning and both offense and defense, but the opponent was more efficient." He added, "I am sad that we failed to advance to the next round, but our players gave everything on the field today."

Coach Costa did not hesitate to praise Choi Byung-wook, who scored the opening goal. He stated, "He is a player I trust very much," and added, "In the first half, he and Shin Sang-eun demonstrated the kind of penetration into space we wanted, leading to the goal. Beyond scoring, his overall performance was excellent."

Regarding the end of their nine-game unbeaten streak, Costa maintained a composed attitude. He said, "I want to tell our players that 'if we are going to lose, we should lose like today.' We did everything we could, including in terms of physicality."

He continued, "Since we fight for victory in every match, defeat is indeed sad. However, starting tomorrow, we must focus on preparing for the Gyeongbuk match scheduled for Saturday. Regardless of wins or losses, we should not be tied to the past," emphasizing their concentration on upcoming league matches.

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*This content was translated by AI.