Pohang Steelers head coach Park Tae-ha hopes his team’s unbeaten streak will come to an end but that it will make them stronger.
Pohang fell 1-0 to Suwon FC in the 13th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Suwon Sports Complex on Monday, conceding a goal from Jung Seung-won in the second minute of the second half.
The loss ended Pohang’s unbeaten run at 11 matches. Pohang, who hadn’t lost a game since losing their opening match against Ulsan HD, struggled to find the back of the net against Suwon and tasted defeat for the first time in nearly two months.
The failure to pick up a point kept Pohang at the top of the table with 25 points (7W4D2L), but there is a crisis at the top of the table as second-placed Gimcheon Sangmu (25 points) moved level on points with Pohang with a 1-0 win at Jeju United in the 13th round on Oct. 18.
“I would say that the game went well according to our preparation, but we lost due to lack of decisiveness. The players tried their best,” said Park at the post-match press conference, adding that “not scoring at the right time led to our defeat.”
“The players have done their best so far. We’ve done well so far, and even though we lost, I don’t think our performance was inferior to the opponent,” he said, adding, “I think it’s a great achievement that we have the confidence to play any team and bring home a win.”
“I think the fans were expecting us to go undefeated, but I didn’t think so,” he said, adding, “I don’t mean to be disparaging, but I think it means that we’re improving and we can compete with any team we play because we don’t have the strongest team.”
Regarding Kim Jong-woo, who was injured and taken off on a stretcher just before the end of the first half, Park said, “(The injury) is in his calf, so he won’t be able to play for a while, but I’m not too worried because other players are preparing.”
Pohang’s goal-scoring prowess was also lacking on the day, as they earned 11 corner kicks but failed to create any meaningful results from set pieces.
“We are continuing to train,” said Park. No matter how much we train and focus, the answer won’t come out, but we have to keep training.” “To score goals, we have to 먹튀검증 prioritize concentration and desire. Only then can we increase our chances of scoring.”
As for the goal conceded to Jung Seung-won, who came on as a substitute in the second half, he said, “It was also a lack of concentration. “The first five minutes of the second half are important, and we always talk about it, and the players are aware of it, but it’s not easy,” he said.
When asked about this season’s challenges, he said, “I always say that no team is easy. No matter what team you play, the desire of the players and their attitude to perform will affect the outcome.”
Pohang will now host FC Seoul on May 25 for their 14th round home match.
“No team is easy every game, so just because it’s home doesn’t mean we’ll win,” Park said of the upcoming match, adding, “We have to prepare as best we can for any team, and I’m cautious about whether the defeat has strengthened our players’ mindset.”
“I’ll also think about what’s wrong so that we can make improvements,” he said, vowing to do his best to win the home match against Seoul.