Jeon Jin-woo earned passing marks in his Oxford debut.
Oxford United's Jeon Jin-woo made his starting debut in the 2025-2026 England FA Cup fourth round (round of 32) match against AFC Sunderland, played at The Kassam Stadium in Oxford, England, at 11 p.m. on the 15th (Korea time), appearing for 65 minutes and showing a good performance as he made his first appearance on the English stage.
Jeon Jin-woo, who contributed to Jeonbuk Hyundai's double last season, made his first start and debut about a month after joining Oxford. He was deployed as a left winger. He formed the front with Mills, Donley and Lankshire. Oxford ceded possession and chose to counterattack. Jeon Jin-woo waited high up the field and became the starting point of transitions.
He showed lively movement that day. He read space and penetrated the vacant half-space. In the 7th minute of the first half, he shielded the ball near the left end line and unsettled the defense. His change of direction was concise and his consolidation was composed. In the 17th minute of the first half, he destroyed the space behind with a burst of speed. If it had not been ruled offside, it could have been a decisive moment.
Sunderland held the initiative, but Jeon Jin-woo did not back down. In the 35th minute of the first half he received the ball on the left flank. As Tryum approached, he tapped the ball to shake off the defender with his speed. Tryum stopped him with a foul and received a yellow card. Even against a higher-ranked team, Jeon Jin-woo's speed was effective.
He was also active in defensive duties. In the 11th minute of the second half, he pressured the opposing goalkeeper until the end and provoked a kicking mistake, an outstanding display. There was also a dizzying moment. In the 17th minute of the second half, Enzo Le Feu's powerful free kick struck the side of Jeon Jin-woo's head. He fell to the ground. It recalled the time last month when he missed four matches due to a head injury sustained in training. The match was temporarily halted.
Fortunately, Jeon Jin-woo stood up on his own. He walked to the sideline. But manager Matt Bloomfield chose to make a substitution. In the 20th minute of the second half, Jeon Jin-woo's match ended early. It was for protection and a tactical change, two reasons. The score was a 0-1 loss. But in his first starting debut Jeon Jin-woo clearly showed his strengths.<
[photo] captured from Oxford's social media.
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