'Manager Park Geon-ha sent off': SuwonFC draws 1-1 with Cheonan, fighting with 10 men... fails to reclaim second place [Suwon On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

A fatal draw. SuwonFC failed to secure three points at home despite having a numerical advantage, as they could not defeat Cheonan City FC.

On the 13th at 7 p.m., SuwonFC drew 1-1 with Cheonan City in their Hana Bank K-League 2 2026 Round 26 home match held at Suwon Sports Complex.

With this result, SuwonFC recorded 12 wins, 9 draws, and 3 losses in 24 matches (45 points), securing third place. Although they extended their unbeaten streak to 12 games without a loss, they failed to fully secure the three points needed for direct promotion contention. Having played one fewer match than DaeguFC in second place (25 matches, 46 points), SuwonFC maintained its chance to leapfrog into second place—the direct promotion spot—if it wins all remaining games.

Meanwhile, Cheonan remained in 14th place with 4 wins, 11 draws, and 10 losses (23 points), deepening their winless slump to 12 consecutive matches (5 draws, 7 losses).

The home team SuwonFC deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mateus Babi led the front line, with Kim Do-yoon, Choi Ki-yoon, and Kim Jeong-hwan positioned in the second line. Lee Jae-won and Gu Bon-cheol operated as midfielders in the third line, while Seo Jae-min, Jo Jin-woo, Lee Ji-sol, and Jang Young-woo formed a back four. Yang Han-bin guarded the goal.

Cheonan countered with a 3-4-3 formation. Koo Jong-wook, Tunga, and Woo Jeong-yeon formed an attacking triangle, while Lee Dong-hyub, Lee Ji-seung, Ramas, and Park Chang-woo controlled the midfield. The back three consisted of Kwon Yong-seung, Choi Jun-hyeok, and Go Tae-won, with Park Ju-won in goal.

Cheonan seized a decisive opportunity within the first 10 minutes. In a chaotic situation near the goal, SuwonFC midfielder Lee Jae-won blocked an opponent's shot but committed a handball foul, resulting in a penalty kick. However, Ramas, who took the kick, sent his left-footed shot high over the goal, missing the target. Ramas expressed dissatisfaction with the grass conditions and swallowed his regret.

Both teams engaged in a tense battle afterward but struggled to create scoring chances due to solid defensive walls. Cheonan substituted Woo Jeong-yeon for Lee Jun-ho in the 23rd minute of the first half, while SuwonFC brought on Jung Seung-bae for Kim Do-yoon in the 36th minute to make changes. The first half ended scoreless at 0-0.

A major turning point occurred early in the second half. Lee Jun-ho, a substitute attacker for Cheonan, struck Gu Bon-cheol in the face with his elbow during a challenge. After reviewing the incident on the field, the referee immediately showed Lee Jun-ho a red card.

Cheonan, now at a numerical disadvantage, dropped their line and focused on defense, while SuwonFC struggled to break through Cheonan's thick defensive wall.

Instead, Cheonan's counterattacks proved sharp. In the 19th minute of the second half, Tunga delivered a cross from a counterattack, which Lee Ji-seung connected with a right-footed non-stop shot near the goal, but it was saved by goalkeeper Yang Han-bin.

SuwonFC made changes in the 23rd minute of the second half, substituting Jo Jin-woo and Kim Jeong-hwan simultaneously for Kim Ji-hoon and Lee Si-young.

SuwonFC's opening goal came in the 31st minute of the second half. Seo Jae-min connected with a loose ball using a left-footed half-volley shot, striking the far corner of Cheonan's right goal.

However, Cheonan's strength as a team playing with 10 men was also formidable. In the 37th minute of the second half, during a counterattack opportunity, Sarzani attempted an exquisite left-footed curling shot in front of a defender, precisely piercing the far left corner of the goal and leveling the score.

After conceding the equalizer, SuwonFC immediately launched an all-out offensive. In the 40th minute of the second half, Lee Jae-won's sharp header shot was saved by goalkeeper Park Ju-won. By the 44th minute, SuwonFC substituted midfielder Lee Jae-won and added attacker Ha Jung-woo to intensify their attack.

In stoppage time, Park Geon-ha, manager of SuwonFC, was sent off after protesting. Earlier, during Cheonan's equalizer, Park had already received a yellow card for arguing with the referee and the fourth official. SuwonFC failed to score an additional goal, and the match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw.

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*This content was translated by AI.