'Cold water for promotion-hungry E-land' Underdog Gimpo's Manager Ko Jung-woon previews 'drop back and counter-attack' [Gimpo on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Ko Jung-woon (60), manager of Gimpo FC, acknowledged the strong squad of Seoul E-land while previewing a 'one-shot attack.'

Gimpo will face Seoul E-land in a home match for Round 28 of the 'Hana Bank K League 2' 2026 season at Gimpo Solter Football Stadium at 4:30 p.m. on the 9th. Currently, Gimpo FC is ranked 7th with 35 points, while Seoul E-land sits in 3rd place with 48 points.

This is the first match following an approximately three-week international break. When asked about the current condition of his squad before the game, Manager Ko began by saying, "It's fifty-fifty. As we approach the end of the season, motivation ultimately becomes the most important factor, but there have been many setbacks along the way."

He then shared both the difficulties and gratitude regarding the absence in the attacking line. Manager Ko stated, "We are currently recording 31 goals scored and 37 conceded, with Luis and Lu'an scoring 15 goals together, accounting for exactly 50% of our total goals," adding, "Even with those two players absent, the players have been struggling to keep things going by changing our attacking patterns. I am giving them high marks for that aspect."

However, he expressed regret about the long break period. Manager Ko said, "It would have been much better if the matches had continued without a break," revealing, "Since coming to the professional second division in 2022, I have never taken a full four-day rest during a season, but this three-week gap was my first experience of it. The tension relaxed somewhat during the rest period, which became a concern."

Regarding their recent poor head-to-head record against Seoul E-land (1 draw, 4 losses), he cited 'red card variables' as the cause. Manager Ko pointed out, "In the nine matches played against E-land, the opponents had only one red card, while we had four to five players sent off," adding, "Since such a large disparity occurred specifically in matches against E-land, our win rate could not but be low."

He did not lower his guard regarding Seoul E-land's strength. Manager Ko assessed, "E-land has clear motivation. With the chance of promotion to the first division right before their eyes, they will come at us with full intensity," noting, "Their player pool is solid, and there is a good harmony between young resources under 22 (U-22) and foreign players, creating a well-balanced trio. They are at a level comparable to teams from the first division in K League 2."

Ultimately, the solution for this match lies in strict suppression of goals conceded and blocking the flanks. Manager Ko revealed his tactical plan, stating, "E-land relies heavily on crosses from the flanks, led by Euller and Park Jae-yong, with most of their goals starting from the wings. How our defense deals with these will be the key to victory," adding, "Given that there is a clear difference in strength, we will drop our defensive line to hold steady and then aim for counter-attacks."

The decisive moment Manager Ko foresaw is the second half. He conveyed, "If we concede in the first half, we could end up losing many goals. If we can hold out well in the first half, since we are a cohesive team, the match will ultimately be decided in the second half."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original