"Suwon Samsung's leader" captain Hong Jeong-ho (37) encouraged the players to have more confidence.
Suwon Samsung defeated Busan IPark 3-2 in the 2026 K League 2 ninth-round home match held at Suwon World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 25th. They had been leading by two goals but conceded two within three minutes and almost lost the win, however Hays' penalty kick goal scored just before the end secured the victory.
With this win Suwon recorded 22 points (7 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), erasing the gap with first-place Busan. Busan, which had been on a seven-game winning streak, suffered its first loss of the season and remained at 22 points with 7 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. However, Busan remained top by a narrow margin due to a superior goal tally, with Suwon positioned just below them.
It was a match in which nothing could be predicted. Dominating Busan from the start, Suwon took the lead with Kim Do-yeon's penalty kick in the 34th minute of the first half, and extended the lead with Kang Hyun-muk's goal in the 11th minute of the second half. But in the 27th minute of the second half they conceded from Busan's unexpected free kick, and in the 30th minute of the second half Kim Jun-hong's own goal quickly brought the score level.
But the final winner was Suwon. A penalty kick was awarded just before the end for a handball foul by Woo Ju-seong, and Hays calmly converted it to make it 3-2. It looked as if Busan might equalize again with Jang Ho-ik's header in the final attack of 15 minutes of second-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled offside, and Suwon secured three points.
After the match, Hong Jeong-ho's expression in the mixed zone looked somewhat complicated. He said, "It seems we made an easy game difficult. As a defender who protects from the back, I felt very sorry for the forwards. It had been a while since the forwards scored multiple goals, and we should have been able to go comfortably 2-0, but we made it difficult. It wasn't so much that the opponent played well as that we conceded because of our mistakes, so I tried not to waver."
Hong Jeong-ho continued, "I have a lot of experience too, but when you concede two goals in less than five minutes you get very flustered. But if even I got excited the game wouldn't work, so I tried to stay calmer than anyone. Also, thanks to that the forwards scored one more goal and we were able to finish well."
However, the scene in which they almost conceded from the last corner kick defense clearly needs improvement. When asked how he felt at the time, Hong Jeong-ho seemed to have a lot to say. He reflected, "After it became 3-2 I told the kids many times to concentrate because there was clearly one minute left. I said it wasn't over yet. But there seemed to be a somewhat excited feeling. In the end it was offside, but such scenes must not recur. I will review it myself and speak to the players a lot."
He also said, "Rather than being frustrated, all three goals were situations where we conceded because of our mistakes. Those scenes shouldn't happen. We've played nine matches now, and this season we hadn't conceded multiple goals in a game until now. Since Busan is first, this was a match that could have been a burden for the players," adding, "But I absolutely thought we would win. The attacking line is very good, but I thought there were many gaps. We are keeping our conceded goals to a minimum, and if we solve things well in attack we can play a good game. Ultimately it became 3-2, but it seems we made an easy game difficult."
At the center of Suwon's solid defense is, as expected, Hong Jeong-ho. Coach Lee Jeong-hyo also praised him, saying, "He is a player who gives great help even in areas I cannot cover inside and outside the stadium. So even though Hong Jeong-ho is having a very hard time, he continues to communicate, manage his body and keep playing. I hope the young players next to him, especially the Maetan High School players, are watching and learning."
But Hong Jeong-ho waved his hands and said, "No. Rather than me doing well, it's thanks to the coach and the coaching staff. It's not just me defending; all 11 start defending from the top the moment the ball is lost. In that respect the team is well built and I think we boast a good defensive record. We must maintain it until the end of the season."
He also expressed gratitude to coach Lee Jeong-hyo. After hearing Lee Jeong-hyo's praise, Hong Jeong-ho replied, "I'm actually more grateful to the coach. After the season ends I want to thank him. For now I will work hard and lead the team better. I hope we can exchange words of thanks at a good conclusion."
Hong Jeong-ho said that coach Lee Jeong-hyo's football is only half complete. He said, "We're getting close but it's a bit slow. If opponents like Busan press back, the play we want comes out, but most teams form a two-line defense. At that time we lack solutions. We can do well enough, but if it's 0-0 until the middle of the second half it becomes frustrating and we rush, which leads to mistakes. I'm talking with the players a lot."
Hong Jeong-ho added, "I think the (level of completion) is about 50% now. I think the other 50% of a better form can come out in the future. I will try harder," adding, "I hope the players gain a lot of confidence. Ultimately we're doing well, and we beat Busan, who are in first place. I want them to have confidence and enjoy each match more. If they do, they can perform well. Because the team itself is young, if they also gain confidence they can develop tremendously."
Finally, Hong Jeong-ho revealed the secret to staying injury-free and playing well at Suwon. He said with a smile, "It's thanks to the physical coach and the medical team who manage me much better than they do other players. I have lots of rest periods and recovery time. They also continuously check on me. I follow team training according to my condition. I want to say thank you to them going forward as well."
[Photo] Suwon Samsung social media.
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