'Aim for Final B + Escape Early Relegation': FC Anyang Instills Unique Motivation, Manager Yoo Byung-hoon: "The Burden of Winning Has Indeed Lightened, But..." [On the Scene in Anyang]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

FC Anyang Manager Yoo Byung-hoon pledged to break the Jeonbuk jinx and provide a fitting finale for home fans in the final match of the regular season.

FC Anyang will face Jeonbuk Hyundai in Round 33 of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 at Anyang Stadium on the 24th at 2 p.m. This is the last regular league match before entering the final round.

Manager Yoo, who appeared in a suit, met with reporters before the match and said, "This is the last game before the final split," adding, "We have been trying to carry a good momentum up to today's match. I wore a suit to prepare for the Jeonbuk match while keeping that mindset intact."

The recent trend itself is not bad. FC Anyang has gone unbeaten in its last three matches with two wins and one draw. In the previous away game against Pohang Steelers, it secured a 0-0 draw.

However, concerns follow regarding motivation. Sitting in eighth place with 10 wins, 12 draws, and 10 losses (42 points) after 32 matches, FC Anyang cannot surpass sixth-place Jeju SK (46 points) even if it wins today, thus failing to advance to Final A. At the same time, it has widened the gap with the lower-ranked teams, escaping the threat of relegation early on.

Manager Yoo explained, "We failed to get a result in the Pohang match and did not achieve our goal of advancing to Final A. Nevertheless, the players made efforts and dedicated themselves for the goal, and I want to highly evaluate that." He added, "What comes from here is more important. I reminded the players that we have never won against Jeonbuk since entering K League 1."

He continued, "As professional players, they must always do their best until the remaining matches are over. The team's competitiveness only comes alive when individuals show their own competitiveness." He added, "The biggest motivation has disappeared, but I told the players to maintain focus until the end so that we can at least finish seventh, which would be better than last year."

He also revealed his plans for operating the final round with the comfort of having avoided relegation early on. Manager Yoo said, "It is not that we will play comfortably, but it is true that the pressure to win has decreased somewhat." He stated, "We will first play normally until the Jeonbuk match, and in the remaining five matches, looking toward next season, I want to give opportunities to players who had few chances. We must definitely give opportunities to players who have dedicated themselves to the team and moved in coordination."

There is also a clear reason to settle the relationship with their nemesis. Since being promoted to the league, FC Anyang has shown a particularly weak record against Jeonbuk, failing to secure even one win in head-to-head matches with one draw and four losses.

Regarding the jinx against Jeonbuk, Manager Yoo said, "We always played well but failed to get results. We struggled as game changers appeared in the second half, and a flow of conceding goals and being overtaken continued." He pointed out, "Looking at Jeonbuk's player lineup today, players with excellent offensive abilities such as Lee Seung-woo, Compagno, and Dodo are heavily deployed in the second half. How to defend and control that aspect is the biggest point of today's match."

On this day, FC Anyang fielded Kim Woon as the lone striker up front, placing Yuki, Choi Geon-ju, and Matheus in the second line. The midfield was handled by Kim Jung-hyun and Knezevic, while Kang Ji-hoon, Kim Young-chan, Kwon Kyung-won, and Kim Dong-jin formed a four-back defensive wall. Kim Jung-hoon guarded the goal.

Regarding the reason for excluding starting striker Elkurano from the list, Manager Yoo said, "He started three matches and showed good form, and I thought he would keep rising, but rather than gaining momentum, there was a part where he stagnated somewhat." He added, "Kim Woon and Blaze had been waiting for opportunities. I wanted to see these players show their form one more time."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original