Gimcheon Commerce head coach Jung Jung-yong said he would not give up until the end.
Gimcheon drew 1-1 with Gimcheon Commerce in the 38th round of the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 at the Changwon Football Center at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. With the draw, Gimcheon could only add one point to their tally and failed to move past Busan I-Park.
Busan started the game well, utilizing the youthful mobility of Lee Young-joon and Kang Hyun-mook to shake up the flanks. They briefly lost the lead in the middle of the first half, but never looked back. In the ninth minute of the second half, Lee Young-joon scored the game-winning goal, but Park Min-seo struck in the 39th minute. With the draw, Gimcheon will have to hope that the Jeonnam Dragons can catch Busan tomorrow.굿모닝토토 도메인
Coach Jung Jung-yong said after the game, “I’m grateful to the players, fans, and the club for trying their best until the end. We still have one game left, so we will do our best to prepare well. We will finish well.”
Gimcheon will have regretted not being able to make more of a run. After Lee Young-jun’s first goal, the momentum shifted to Gyeongnam, and they conceded a goal in the process. Coach Jung Jung-yong said, “We didn’t try to defend, we made substitutions offensively. We were trying to score one more goal. We overcame it well, but we couldn’t finish at that time. In fact, it would have been a better result if we could have finished in goal,” he said.
The chances of an upset are now very slim. Busan only needs one win in their remaining two games to clinch the title. Gimcheon will have to hope for a miracle. The realistic option is to prepare for the relegation playoffs, but Jung Jung-yong said, “I will do my best with the players I have now. It’s my role and the players’ role. We will finish well with the fans,” he said, adding that he would not give up.
While the draw was disappointing, Lee Young-jun’s improvement is noticeable. With three goals and one assist in his last five games, he has become a key part of the team. “He does a good job as a target man. He receives the ball, turns around and shoots well. He’s improving. He’s getting results. He is a player we need in the future. He will do even better.”
Gimcheon is hoping for a miracle, but many of its players are on year-end vacations ahead of the final game, causing a significant power drain. Coach Jung Jung-yong said, “My head hurts. I will prepare wisely and well. I wish my friends who are going on vacation well. I don’t have anything more to say,” he said.