*This content was translated by AI.
For Park Jae-yong (26), the most important thing is not the title of top scorer, but Seoul E-Land's promotion.
Seoul E-Land drew 1-1 against Paju Citizen in their home match at Mokdong Stadium on the 23rd during Round 23 of the 'Hana Bank K League 2 2026'.
After a seven-game unbeaten run (four wins, three draws) following the World Cup break, Seoul E-Land moved up one spot from third to second place with 41 points (12 wins, five draws, five losses), closing in on first-place Suwon Samsung by three points. Paju finished in 11th place with 25 points (seven wins, four draws, 11 losses).
Starting as the forward, Park Jae-yong connected a second ball with a header after Kim Hyun's header was saved by the goalkeeper in the 14th minute of the second half when Seoul E-Land trailed 0-1, sending the ball into the net.
With this goal, Park Jae-yong recorded an attacking point in five consecutive matches. Since the World Cup break, he has contributed four goals and two assists in seven games, showing excellent form. Additionally, his ninth goal of the season (with four assists) put him alone at the top of Seoul E-Land's scoring list and tied for fourth place overall in K League 2.
Meeting Park Jae-yong in the joint interview area after the match, he said, "Every single game is too precious for promotion, so we had to win this one. I'm disappointed that we didn't."
He added, "There are still ten games left, so I believe the real start begins now. We will prepare well for the next match and secure a victory."
Seoul E-Land poured out as many as 21 shots but had to leave with tears due to goalkeeper Ryu Won-woo's dazzling saves and two unfortunate hits against the goalpost. Park Jae-yong said, "I thought about shooting only into the net since I can't control the opponent's goalkeeper's saves, but luck wasn't on our side." He also admitted, "As a striker, I should have scored one or two more goals today. It was another day filled with regrets."
Regarding his partnership with Euler, who is second on the team's scoring list, Park emphasized mutual growth over fierce competition. He stated, "Euler is an excellent player; I think he is two levels above me. Rather than competing, I hope Euler scores more goals to help us achieve promotion. I want to work together comfortably and raise our attacking points to secure promotion."
When asked if he had any desire for the top scorer title, Park firmly replied, "Not at all." He explained, "Currently, Freejo (Suwon FC) is leading the scoring chart. Our priority is achieving the team's goal of promotion."
Amid fierce competition for the top spot, veteran players have been emphasizing to the squad: "Let's go crazy about football." Park Jae-yong shared, "Hyung Os-mar always stresses that we should dedicate our time to football, even during personal leisure hours by watching other teams' matches and analyzing opponents. Knowing that the K League 2 stage is not easy, everyone from young players to veterans is preparing earnestly," conveying the team's atmosphere.
Compared to the promotion race he experienced during his time with FC Anyang, Park Jae-yong revealed that "excitement outweighs pressure now." He said, "I have a strong belief that we will definitely succeed. Among the remaining ten games, if we win about seven of them, I want to achieve our season-long goal of 20 wins. Personally, adding around five more goals would make promotion highly likely," as he smiled.
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*This content was translated by AI.
