"My eyes are so swollen I can't see anything..." Unexpected late substitution leaves Gimhae-un, Seongnam FC manager, voicing regret [Seongnam on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Gimhae-un, manager of Seongnam FC, could not hide his deep regret after losing the home game against league leader Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

Seongnam lost 0-2 in their home match against Suwon in the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 30, held at Seongnam General Sports Complex at 2 p.m. on the 25th. After conceding an early header goal to opposing captain Kang Hyun-mok in the 26th minute of the first half, they also suffered an own goal in the 42nd minute of the second half, falling into a slump of five consecutive matches without a win (one draw, four losses).

In the post-match press conference, Manager Gimhae-un said, "The players ran hard," but added, "Ultimately, it seems to be a difference in the quality and will of the players."

He continued, "Just like in the match against Suwon FC, there was a big difference in will between a team on an upward trend and a team at the bottom. If we had not conceded in the first half, the flow of the game would have been different, which is regrettable."

In particular, he let out a deep sigh regarding defender Jung Seung-yong's injury and the refereeing situation that acted as a variable in the first half. In the 22nd minute of the first half, Jung was struck in the face by an elbow from opposing defender Go Jong-hyun while defending a set piece and fell to the ground. Jung played through the first half but requested a substitution immediately after halftime. According to sources, he was transported directly to the emergency room right after the match.

Manager Gimhae-un stated, "He requested a substitution in the second half saying his eye was so swollen he couldn't see," and added, "If it was a situation where a warning should have been given to the opponent, shouldn't they have reviewed it via Video Assistant Referee (VAR)?"

He further noted, "If an elbow strike caused such bruising and swelling of the eye, the situation should have been addressed more clearly. The referee knows the criteria for judgment best, but it remains regrettable."

He also pointed out a lack of decisiveness in offensive development. Manager Gimhae-un said, "They need to touch the ball and make a quick decision to shoot, but there were too many scenes where they hesitated and lost possession to the opponent," adding, "Even if it doesn't go in, they must take a shot first so that either a goal or a corner kick results, creating the next situation. It is regrettable that they hesitated in front of the goal despite securing good chances. That is ultimately the difference in player quality."

Regarding their strategy of focusing on defense before launching counterattacks, he explained, "It was not about refusing to play attacking football in the first half; we had to endure and defend through the first half to have a chance to decide the game in the second half," and continued, "However, Jung Seung-yong went off due to injury, and a goal was conceded in a chaotic situation with one fewer player. If we had endured the first half scoreless, we could have fully implemented the aggressive changes prepared for the second half, but the first-half concession was painful."

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original