Daegu FC’s three-game winning streak came to an end, but the team can take solace in the fact that they played at full strength.
Daegu has only played at ‘full strength’ once in its 15 matches in the 2023 season in K League 1. It was against Incheon United at DGB Daegu Bank Park on March 28, and the team’s attacking core of Sejingya and Edgar, as well as Hong Chul and Keita, took the field.
It wasn’t easy from the start. Hong Chul suffered a knee injury just 14 minutes into the opening match and was sidelined for a while. After three months of treatment and rehabilitation, he made his comeback as a late substitute against Suwon FC on March 27.
Sejingya was hampered by a hamstring injury. As fate would have it, he was carried off on a stretcher after complaining of thigh pain during Hong Chul’s comeback against Suwon FC. He returned after three games on March 19 against Jeonbuk Hyundai, only to be sidelined again, and a month later, on March 20 against Daejeon Hana Citizen, he started and played the full game and stayed on the field until the Incheon match.
Edgar is also back. After being sidelined since the Pohang Steelers game on March 9 due to a muscle injury, he returned to the starting lineup for the Incheon game following a substitute appearance in the Korea Football Association (FA) Cup. When he was on the pitch full-time, he showed his fitness by utilizing his trademark delivery and scoring a fantastic multi-goal header.
The same goes for Keita. After being left off the roster after the Pohang game, he came on as a substitute in Incheon.
Daegu’s recent two-game winning streak came to an end in Incheon, but they remain unbeaten in four matches. Unlike the beginning of the season, when they struggled with injuries to key players, the team has been able to pick up points and keep the mid-table battle alive.스포츠토토
Daegu head coach Choi Won-kwon was disappointed to see his three-game winning streak snapped in a 2-2 draw with Incheon, saying, “We conceded first, but we came back. It’s a positive thing that we created chances in the midst of the crisis,” he said, adding, “The lineup for today’s game is our best strength. Unless there are any special problems, we will continue to go like this.”
From now on, the team will have to focus on injury management. We’re halfway through the second round robin. Aside from league leaders Ulsan Hyundai (38 points), the teams in second through mid-table are closely spaced. This is the time when the departure of a key player will hurt a team even more.
Daegu has a distinct team color that aims for ‘one shot’ instead of going up with ball possession. They have to make quick decisions to position themselves and create chances in the short time they have on the counterattack. The combination of players who have been working together since the winter has created a synergistic effect. This is why we are looking forward to the future of Daegu, who have returned from injury and are at their best.