There’s nowhere to hide. Jeju United will look to turn things around against Gimcheon Sangmu.
Jeju will host Gimcheon in the 29th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Jeju World Cup Stadium on Sunday, September 1 at 6:00 p.m. Jeju is currently eighth in the league with 32 points from 10 wins, two draws and 16 losses. However, the gap between them and bottom-placed Incheon (28 points), who are facing direct relegation, has narrowed to just four points following three consecutive league defeats. The gap between Jeju and 10th-place Jeonbuk is also three points, and depending on the outcome of this round, 온라인카지노사이트 Jeju could slip into the relegation zone.
It’s a clear crisis. Since last week, the team has been playing a grueling schedule of midweek (home, Korea Cup quarterfinal first leg)-weekend (away, K League 1)-weekend (away, Korea Cup quarterfinal second leg)-weekend (home, K League 1), and in the Korea Cup quarterfinal against Pohang, the team lost the first and second legs by a combined score of 1-1, ending their hopes of reaching the final for the first time in 20 years. The physical fatigue has increased, and the loss and psychological impact of the loss could easily shake the team.
At a time like this, the team needs to reorganize step by step, with the priority being to crack down on the back door. Jeju currently has the second-most goals conceded in the league (42). They have conceded seven goals in their last three league defeats and were rocked by a 0-5 defeat away to Suwon FC in Round 28. The team is missing captain Lim Chae-min and Song Joo-hoon, but their defensive focus has been lacking. In response, Kim Hak-beom is looking to re-inject some stability through psychological care, as well as increased pressing and man-marking to effectively contain Jeju’s in-form Kim Dae-won (seven goals and seven assists in 17 games).
The offense, which has gone scoreless in its last three games, will look to bolster its firepower, led by Kim Joo-gong, who impressed in the Korea Cup. He will miss the match after being sent off for a direct challenge against Suwon FC in the Round of 28. Kim has quickly gotten back on track after returning from injury, scoring the opening goal in the first leg of the Korea Cup quarterfinals. In place of Hayes, Kim will be able to disrupt opposing defenses with his wide movement and active switching play, not only at the attacking point but also off the ball. Koo Ja-Ryung, who recently returned from injury and has been waiting in the wings, could also emerge as an architect of victory at any time.
“We disappointed our fans by coming home with a disappointing result at the Korea Cup. We don’t want to disappoint them anymore. We want to focus all our efforts on the league and show that we can’t fall apart anymore. The best prescription for us right now is to win. Gimcheon is definitely a tough opponent, but we want to prove that we are stronger at home, and we will definitely get a good result.”