It is fortunate for the Pohang Steelers. For the first time in K-League history, Malkyung, who won the top scorer and MVP awards in the first and second divisions, and A-level centerback Park Ji-soo will be sidelined due to injury.토토사이트
Pohang will play the second home match of the 2023-2024 Asian Champions League (ACL) Group J group stage against Wuhan Sanjeon (China) at Pohang Steel Yard on the 4th.
Coach Kim Ki-dong said at a press conference held at the Pohang Steel Yard on the 3rd, “We started well in the first game away to Hanoi. It is our first game at home. If we play as prepared, we have a good chance of winning.” He added, “Currently, we are showing good performance in the K-League. We will continue to strive to show that performance in the ACL as well.”
Wuhan Sanjeon was the Chinese Super League champion last season. However, there is a high possibility that they will take on Pohang without all their cars and guns. It has been reported that Malkyung and Park Ji-soo will not play in the Pohang game due to injury. Regarding this, Coach Kim explained, “There are Malken and Park Ji-soo who played in the K-League. However, the two players are expected to miss the game against us due to injuries.” At the same time, he analyzed, “(Wuhan) appears to be a team whose defense uses the offside trap well and is good at counterattacking. In order to win, they must penetrate the dense space of Wuhan’s defense well.”
However, recent variables have also occurred. Wandelsohn, who played left fullback, fractured his jaw in two places in the last ‘East Coast Derby’ of this season against Ulsan Hyundai on the 30th of last month and was out for the season. Coach Kim sighed, saying, “We are competing not only in the ACL but also in the league and have advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup. We lost an important player at a critical time.” He also said, “Despite the fact that many players left the team this season, other players filled their positions well. I believe that another player will give strength to the team.”
This is the first ACL game played at home in 7 years. They advanced to the 2021 ACL and finished second, but at the time, the game was played at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, a neutral site, due to the aftermath of COVID-19. Coach Kim said, “It’s been a long time since we played an ACL game at home. We will do our best not only for this game but also to continue to achieve good results.”
Striker Zeka, who will play against Wuhan, expressed his determination to get three points. He said, “Actually, I think this year’s schedule is much better than the previous competition. It is better to play at home with the support of fans rather than playing while staying in a foreign country for a month. There are many players besides me who have experienced ACL injuries. And I have ACL experience. “Even the players who aren’t there are all good players. Kim In-seong even has experience winning the ACL.”
