When asked what they thought of the pre-opening prediction that Gimcheon would not perform well amid the gusty wind of Gimcheon at the beginning of the season, the players all turned their eyes on each other.
Kimcheon, led by coach Chung Jung-yong, won 1-0 in the match against Gangwon FC in the ninth round of Hana Bank K-League 1 2024 held at Gimcheon Sports Complex at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Lee Jung-min scored the winning goal in the 44th minute of the second half.
Gimcheon added three more points on the day, briefly pulling down the Pohang Steelers, who played one game less, to second place with six wins, one draw and two losses, and 19 points, and took the lead again.
A fierce run ensues. Not many predicted that Gimcheon would show this good performance at the beginning of the season. Turning the clock back to February, Gimcheon was not mentioned as a team to compete for the championship in the opening media day of the K League 1.
Several media outlets also predicted Gimcheon would be at the bottom of the list in their early season rankings. It was also expected that the team would be in the relegation zone.
That is true. Gimcheon just won the K League 2 title last season and was promoted. It won the K League 2 title in the 2021 season with an overwhelming pace, but this prediction was natural given the experience of being demoted the following season.
Rather, it was that kind of view that made Gimcheon like this. Lee Jung-min, who scored the finishing goal against Gangwon, calmly continued to question and answer at a press conference after the game, and when asked what he thought of his prediction at the beginning of the season, his eyes completely changed.
“I couldn’t understand how other teams thought of us. We are also at the top of the ranking. I had confidence even before the opening of the season. But with such predictions continuing, I think we are more united,” Kim said.
He added, “We have the heart and confidence to achieve whether it is K League 2 or K League 1. As we don’t dwell on it, both leagues seem to have good results.”
Lee was not the only one who shook his eyes. The politician who scored multiple goals to lead the team to a 2-1 victory over FC Gwangju in the sixth round on Tuesday felt the same way.
Speaking at a press conference after being selected as a coach at the time, he said, “The reporters and the coaches also picked us as candidates for relegation. It didn’t make sense. We have good players. It was strange to be considered as candidates for relegation. That’s why I prepared more. I think the result came out as I enjoyed the game.”
In the past, Sangmu players used to save themselves to avoid the risk of injury before being discharged from the military. This season, they are completely different. Gimcheon could be a “land of opportunity” for players who have not been able to play in their original team, and it is truly exciting to see their performance here. 먹튀검증
It is premature to predict that Gimcheon will continue to smile when the first round robin is not over yet, but there is definitely a reason for this sensation. At the beginning of the season when they were treated like heaven, they were united and fully understood that this was a place to take a chance, so such a sensation was possible.
Excellent recruits are waiting to join Gimcheon. Lee Dong-kyung (Ulsan) and Lee Dong-joon (Jeonbuk), as well as Maeng Sung-woong (Jeonbuk) and Park Chan-yong (Pohang) will enter the training camp on the 29th.