FC Seoul head coach Kim Ki-dong was disappointed with the goalless draw but pleased with his side's performance after advancing to the quarterfinals of the Korea Cup on penalties.
Kim Ki-dong's Seoul beat Gangwon FC 5 PSO4 on penalties after 120 minutes of 0-0 stoppage time in the round of 16 of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Monday.
Starting Willian, Kang Sung-jin, Kim Shin-jin, and high school student Kang Joo-hyuk on a "semi-professional" contract, Seoul put on an impressive performance, dominating Gangwon throughout the match.
However, they were unable to score a single goal as they were denied by Park Cheong-hyo in goal despite a series of chances.
In particular, Seoul had seven shots on goal in the first half alone, but couldn't find the back of the net. This made it difficult for them to take the game easily and forced the match to penalty kicks.
"I wish we could have finished the game early (in the 90th minute)," said Kim after the match, "We had a lot of scoring chances, but it's unfortunate that we couldn't convert them. After halftime, I reprimanded the players for being 'too greedy'. We could have scored two or three goals if we had passed to a player in a better position. It was difficult (not scoring from our chances)," he said.
Still, it was impressive to see Seoul, which has not won in its last four K League One matches (three draws), take the initiative and dominate possession against league runner-up Gangwon. The defense was also 스포츠토토 steady, with the exception of one close call in the second half.
"It's encouraging that our football came out a little bit," said Kim, who applauded his players for their performance. "In the past, the tempo was slow and players often moved from side to side (instead of forward), but today we played straight forward football. The players were also trying to make quick passes into the opponent's half, which led to a lot of shots. We need to continue to pursue this type of soccer in the future."
He also praised Kang Joo-hyuk for his role as the "charge captain". "(Kang) played well in a bold manner. He didn't feel intimidated in front of the seniors and played his best," Kim said, adding, "We have a good option for the team. We were lacking a speedy flanker, and if Joo Hyuk continues to play like he is now, he will be a great addition to the team."
Seoul will host the Pohang Steelers on July 17 in the quarterfinals of the Korea Cup.
Pohang is the defending champions and was coached by Kim until last year. Seoul has faced Pohang twice in the K League 1 since Kim took over, drawing 1-1.
Kim is determined to settle the score in the Korea Cup quarterfinals. "I was very disappointed with the second leg (last month 25). Even though it ended in a 2-2 draw, I think we played well," he said. "It was a turning point for us. We picked up our game after that. We're in the quarterfinals, so I'm sure the players will do well."
Meanwhile, Gangwon head coach Yoon Jeong-hwan said, "The players who haven't had a chance to play before did their best today. We will prepare well for the match against K League 1 Incheon United in four days."
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