Jeju United continued its upward trend in the K-League 1 in the FA Cup.
Jeju won 4-3 against Daejeon Hana Citizen in the round of 16 of the 2023 Hana One Q FA Cup held at Jeju World Cup Stadium on the 24th and settled in the quarterfinals.
Jeju is on the rise with no defeats, with 5 wins and 1 draw in the last 6 K-League 1 matches. Although the winning streak was cut off in the last round, they are riding a good flow and are in 3rd place in the league.
Before the game, Jeju coach Ki-il Nam said, “Rather than talking about winning, I think it is important to continue the good atmosphere. The winning streak has been cut, but the atmosphere is good. There are things that I haven’t won much at home, and I really want to win today.” He did not hide his greed.
As if showing his will to win, coach Nam put forward key players such as Yuri Jonatan, Lee Chang-min, Lee Ju-yong, Kim Bong-soo, and Jeong-woon as starters. Ahn Hyeon-beom, Seo Jin-soo, Hays, and Lim Chae-min were also put on the bench to prepare for emergencies.
As coach Nam hoped, Jeju played the game with ease. After taking the initiative from the beginning of the game and launching an offensive, they took the lead in the 16th minute of the first half. Jonathan Ling, who started after returning from injury, stabbed a pass from the left side of the penalty box, and Lee Ki-hyeok connected it with a simple shot and accurately shook the bottom corner of the goal.
After taking the lead, Jeju continued its offensive and made it 2-0 in the 28th minute of the first half. Kim Seung-seop’s powerful shot from the left side of the box hit goalkeeper Jeong San’s leg and was deflected and sucked into the net.
In the second half, Jeju’s defensive concentration was shaken and allowed consecutive goals in the early stages. In the 8th minute of the second half, Martha received a pass from Leandro from the right and shook the net with a powerful shot. Three minutes later, Martha’s penetrating pass was received by Leandro and finished. Unlike the first half, Jeju allowed a tie in an instant as the defense loosened up.
In a flow that could fall into a crisis, Jeju regained its strength. In the 15th minute of the second half, Jonathan Yuri received a pass given by Lee Ju-yong and attempted a powerful left-footed shot.
The counterattack of Daejeon was also not easy. In the 20th minute of the second half, a corner kick from the left was scored by Byun Jun-soo with a powerful header to tie the game again.
In an unexpected slugfest,안전놀이터 Jeju took the lead again. In the 28th minute of the second half, with a quick pass play, they entered the box in an instant, and Lee Ju-yong finally connected a ground ball pass. Min Joon-yeong blocked the pass and tried to clear it, but the ball hit the net and went into the goal.
After that, no more goals were scored. Daejeon tried to launch an offensive, but it was physically difficult. In the end, Jeju took the lead by one goal and became the winner.