Challenge to enter the Asian stage
Daejeon, which successfully reinforced, the atmosphere in the beginning was ‘well’
Daejeon Hana Citizen, which has remained stable since being promoted to K League 1 last year, is off to a bad start in the new season.
Under the leadership of coach Lee Min-sung, Hana Citizen in Daejeon recorded two draws and one loss in three matches since the opening of the K League 1 in 2024. The team has yet to enjoy its first win. Unlike its good start by beating Gangwon-Ulsan-Jeonbuk Hyundai in succession at the beginning of last year’s season, the team has seen its performance drop to 10th place in the league due to disappointing performance this season.
a successful transfer market, a disappointing performance at the beginning of the season
Last year, the team won promotion for the first time in eight years, enjoying an emotional first part. Having created a sensation in the early days of the season under coach Lee Min-seong, the team was unbeaten in the match against Ulsan and Jeonbuk, which were considered favorites, although they failed to advance to the Final A. It also ended the season by producing not only the second highest score 56 points in the league, but also outstanding celebrities such as Thiago 17 goals and 7 assists.
Daejeon, which entered its first season of promotion with a stable early stay in eighth place in the league, aims to qualify for the Asian Champions League in the 2024 season. Although in the winter transfer market, key resources such as Thiago, Jeon Byung-kwan hereinafter Jeonbuk, Martha Jubilo, Seo Young-jae Dangjin, Kim Young-wook Seoul E, Lee Jin-hyun Pusucha, Kim Min-deok, Yoo Kang-hyun hereinafter Gimcheon, Byun Jun-su Gwangju, Willian Seoul, and Cho Yoo-min Sharja were left one after another, but they succeeded in reinforcing them accordingly.
Starting with the recruitment of national midfielder Lee Soon-min, Daejeon, which transfused a large number of proven resources from the league, including Kim Seung-dae, Hong Jung-woon, Kim Joon-beom, Park Jin-sung, Aaron and Lee Jung-taek, peaked with the recruitment of Brazilian top striker Hosa and former Togo national team striker Peniel Mrapa. Subsequently, Latvia’s top Gutek, who joined last summer, recovered from injury and raised expectations by showing better-than-expected performance in the away match of Jeonbuk, which was the first game of the season.
Although they failed to keep Guterte’s first goal and lost a point in the second half, they scored a disappointing 1-1 draw, which was encouraging for them to win against Jeonbuk, which has a record of being one of the favorites. After the Jeonbuk expedition, Daejeon faced Jeju United under Kim Hak-beom. On the road to Jeju, where they left with anticipation, Daejeon collapsed, allowing a shocking three runs. Freshman Hosa scored a last-minute goal in the second half to spark a chase, but eventually lost 3-1, forcing them to postpone their chance to win for the first time.
In the following home opening match, Daejeon reported its first win against Gangwon FC under manager Yoon Jeong-hwan, but ended up with a helpless draw. Daejeon, which allowed Gangwon Yoon Seok-young to lose the first point in the 17th minute of the second half, barely got out of the danger of defeat as another freshman, Mrapa, scored a dramatic equalizer in the last minute of the second half. However, it has remained in 10th place in the league since the opening of the season, with two draws and one loss in three matches.
Will the advantages disappear and the disadvantages remain the same and rebound after the break
Daejeon has yet to display destructive offense this year, ranking second in overall goal tally last year. It has scored three goals in three league matches, equivalent to just one goal per game. It also has an average of seven shots per game, ranking 10th among one or 12 teams in the K-League. The team ranks seventh with an average of four shots per game. This proves that the team has not been able to secure a solid finish in offense. Moreover, the team’s progress in offense is also disappointing. Daejeon, which has posted an average of 361 passes, ranks 10th in the league. The number of passes thrown forward is also 126, ranking 10th in the league.
The average number of passes by the offensive camp is 67, ranking eighth in the league, and the average number of passes in the central region is 211, ranking 10th in the league. As Daejeon aims for a monotonous attack pattern rather than solving the attack through passes, it has not been able to score a threatening shot. 안전놀이터
Daejeon is also faltering in defense. Having disgraced itself as the second-most losing team in the league with 58 goals in last year’s league, Daejeon has lost more goals than Suwon Samsung, which suffered a bitter taste of direct relegation. It seems that the team has failed to compensate for its weak defense by allowing five goals in three games this season.
Daejeon will resume its league schedule by facing Incheon United under coach Cho Seong-hwan, who has had two draws and one loss since the A-match break. Daejeon, which hopes for a higher place after promotion, will be able to rebound with a new look after the break.