'On the verge of first-ever win over Jeonbuk → Conceded a dramatic equalizer' Manager Yoo Byung-hoon: "It was a prime opportunity, but... I am sorry to our fans" [Anyang on-site]

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Manager Yoo Byung-hoon of FC Anyang expressed deep regret over missing out on the club's first-ever victory against Jeonbuk, which he had nearly secured, along with apologies to the fans for conceding a late equalizer just before the final whistle.

Anyang drew 1-1 in its home match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in Round 33 of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 season, held at Anyang General Sports Complex on the 24th.

Anyang, which had taken the lead with an early goal by Kim Woon in stoppage time of the first half and was on the brink of not only promotion but also its first-ever win against Jeonbuk in club history, had to settle for a draw after conceding a heartbreaking late equalizer from Thiago in stoppage time of the second half.

As a result, Anyang failed to break its winless streak against Jeonbuk following its promotion (overall record: 2 draws, 4 losses).

In a post-match press conference, Manager Yoo Byung-hoon said, "We managed to steer the game in the direction and flow we wanted throughout. While we did concede late, it is regrettable that we failed to show decisive finishing power at crucial scoring opportunities." He added, "We switched to a three-back formation late in the match to counter the opponent's twin towers, but ultimately conceded a goal. That decision was my mistake as the manager," taking responsibility for the result.

He continued, "It was a prime opportunity to beat Jeonbuk, and I am sorry to our home fans. We are heading to Final B, but there are still five matches left. We will focus on every game and demonstrate Anyang's competitiveness."

Despite failing to advance to Final A and securing early survival, he did not hold back praise for the fighting spirit shown by the squad. Manager Yoo stated, "No matter which team we face, refusing to back down is precisely Anyang's strength," emphasizing, "Although we failed to achieve our goal of advancing to the upper split, we will approach the remaining matches with a thorough professional mindset."

He also presented a clear goal for the remaining Final Round. Manager Yoo said, "Even if we drop to Final B, our goal of pursuing victory remains unchanged," revealing, "We finished eighth last year, so this year we will play with the determination to achieve at least one step higher, seventh place."

He let out a deep sigh over the lack of decisiveness in the late second half that failed to nail down the win. In the 41st minute of the second half, Blaze, who had come on as a substitute, seized a perfect counter-attack opportunity for Anyang, but his consecutive shots were blocked by Jeonbuk goalkeeper Song Beom-geun's saves. Manager Yoo noted, "It was a decisive key moment. If we had scored, victory would have been all but certain." He added, "We clearly should have put it away. It is not as if our energy levels had dropped after coming off the bench; we needed to be more focused and desperate in our approach. We did attempt shots toward the goal, but it is regrettable that our focus wavered at the crucial moment."

Regarding the moment when they were pushed into a near-reversal crisis immediately after conceding the equalizer, he said, "Given how strong our desire to beat Jeonbuk was, a sense of frustration likely swept over the entire squad right after conceding, causing us to waver for a moment." He vowed, "Such crisis situations can arise at any time during a match. In the remaining five games, we will thoroughly patch up and prepare so that this kind of instability does not repeat itself."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original