"It wasn't a match we should have lost..." Jeju SK Manager Sergio Costa: "A classic contest between the best teams in K League" — Pride Amid Regret [On-site at Sangam]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Sergio Costa, 53, manager of Jeju SK, expressed deep regret after his team's defeat to league leaders FC Seoul.

Jeju fell 1-2 to FC Seoul in their away match on the 10th at 2 p.m. at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Round 31 of the "Hana Bank K League 1 2026."

The loss ended Jeju's five-match unbeaten streak (three wins, two draws), leaving them in fourth place with 46 points (12 wins, 10 draws, 9 losses). Meanwhile, FC Seoul, who have held the top spot for about three weeks, now sit on 65 points (20 wins, 5 draws, 6 losses) and will clinch the league title if they secure just seven more points in their remaining seven matches.

Despite the setback of Iltalo being substituted off due to a hamstring injury during stoppage time in the first half, Jeju showed resilience as substitute Lee Gun-hee equalized with a bicycle kick wonder goal in the 27th minute of the second half. However, they conceded a painful winning goal seven minutes later when Klimara exploited space behind their defense.

In a post-match press conference, Manager Costa expressed his disappointment, stating, "This was not a match we should have lost." Nevertheless, he evaluated the game as "a fantastic contest between the two best teams in K League 1," adding, "We controlled the opponent's strengths well and gave them almost no scoring opportunities. We lost a match we shouldn't have lost due to bad luck with the goalposts and the opposing goalkeeper's saves."

Manager Costa emphasized, "I am incredibly proud of the players who fought for all three points until the end after the equalizer, as well as the process we are building together."

Regarding Iltalo's hamstring injury in first-half stoppage time and the upcoming absence of Jang Min-gyu due to military service, he expressed a composed stance on how to handle the situation. He emphasized, "We have faced situations where many players have been absent since the start of the season. Finding replacements and finding solutions amid such painful gaps is my role as manager."

He looked back positively on the lengthy three-week international break. Manager Costa explained, "It was a very good time to fix areas where we had not performed well, including our defensive organization, and to reorganize the team's concept."

He also opened up about the tactical changes experienced this season. Dividing the season into two parts before and after the World Cup break, Manager Costa noted, "In the first half of the season, we utilized players like Nam Tae-hee and Kwon Chang-hoon to play an attack focused on short passes. However, after key players left, we had to modify our tactical model to a more direct style of football that targets space, tailored to the characteristics of the remaining players."

Finally, he maintained his confidence, stating, "The 46 points we currently hold are figures that prove sufficient qualification and competitiveness compared to last season."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original