In pro football last weekend, Daejeon Hana Citizen’s rebellion was by far the hot topic.
Daejeon, which returned to the first division after 8 years, defeated the ‘defending champion’ Ulsan Hyundai 2-1 in the home room on the 16th. It was an unexpected result as it was the time when Ulsan raised its momentum by challenging the previous tie record of 7 consecutive wins in the opening season.
Soccer experts diagnose that the tactics introduced by Daejeon (4 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss) can be a hint to block the solo run of leader Ulsan (6 wins, 1 loss).
Daejeon coach Lee Min-seong joked, “Our team can’t defend,” but behind that, detailed tactics prepared through thorough analysis are hidden. Daejeon did not give up only one run to Ulsan for nothing.
Coupang Play commentator Han Jun-hee said, “It was the forward pressure that Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp came to mind.”
The purpose of forward pressing is to lose the ball. In fact, in the 9th minute of the first half of Daejeon, Lee Hyun-shik snatched the ball from the Ulsan corner kick and helped Lee Jin-hyun score the opening goal.
However, the real goal of Daejeon was Ulsan’s delay in carrying the ball. Ulsan’s biggest weapon comes from an efficient pass. The team has a lot of guru who handle the ball, so the level of build-up is different. And if this ball hits Joo Min-kyu, it’s likely to lead to a decisive chance.
Joo Min-gyu, who boasted the most goals (39 goals) in the K-League 1 over the past two years, boasts a keen sense of goal with three goals this year as well. He is originally from midfield, so he must be careful of chances that arise. Daejeon pulled up the line and blocked the ball path to Joo Min-gyu. Ulsan’s players are so good that they can’t block all passes, but it was not a bad result as they controlled 0 shots, not even scoring.
The isolation of Eom Won-sang was also satisfactory. He surrounded the midfielders, the wingers and even the central defenders, denying themselves space. Eom Won-sang, a master of dribbling, failed all three dribbles that day. In the end, Ulsan coach Hong Myung-bo put Bako in place of Um Won-sang in the 28th minute of the second half, but it was more of a choice for a breakthrough than consideration for stamina.
Of course, Daejeon’s defense is not perfect either. Although it was ahead of Ulsan in terms of activity, the limit of being pushed back to 27-38 in the aerial battle was visible. If Ulsan’s tall striker Martin Adam and defender Jeong Seung-hyeon hadn’t been left out, a different result could have come out.
In addition, after the 30th minute in the second half when the players’ stamina began to decline, even their organizational power was shaken. In the 42nd minute of the second half, the shot following Ulsan Bako’s dribble breakthrough and Rubikson’s rebound shot, the protagonist of the equalizer, would have been close to conceding if not for Lee Chang-geun’s saving show. If the rest of the teams raise their line against poor preparations, it could be poisonous. 바카라
However, it seems that those who inherit the next baton of Daejeon can fill in the missing parts. Pohang Steelers (4 wins, 3 draws), the only team that does not know defeat this year, is waiting for Ulsan and East Coast Derby on the 22nd. It is interesting to see what kind of response Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong, who has both the face of aggressive soccer and salty water defense, will come up with. Pohang was the only team to win two games against Ulsan last year.
Coach Kim said, “I watched how Daejeon played against Ulsan. Because Ulsan cared for Adam and Jung Seung-hyun, I know that a different aspect could come out. We will find a way to win the head-to-head match until the day of the match,” he promised.