Hong Myung-bo Planted DNA Ulsan Hyundai 2023 season started off well.
Ulsan gave Song Min-gyu the opening goal in the first round of Hana 1 Q K-League 1 2023 against rival Jeonbuk Hyundai at Munsu Soccer Stadium on the 25th at 2:00 p.m.
Last season, Ulsan had its third league star in 17 years. In the meantime, many command towers have tasted setbacks, but coach Hong Myung-bo achieved a great deal in two years after taking the helm.
The joy of winning is short-lived. As soon as the new year dawned, head coach Hong Myung-bo met with the players and emphasized, “You must not be complacent,” and warned against arrogance. Even if it is difficult to go up, you know better than anyone that coming down is quick.
The first opponent of the 2023 season faced by coach Hong Myung-bo, who said, “Our Ulsan is facing a new challenge,” was Jeonbuk. Jeonbuk, which has held back Ulsan for several years, is also a contender for the championship this time. Incumbent representatives such as Cho Kyu-seong, Baek Seung-ho, Kim Jin-soo, and Song Min-gyu, who played a big role in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which ended last December, were lined up, Amano Jun, who betrayed Ulsan and left, and Lee Dong-jun, who briefly worked in Ulsan. It foreshadowed war.
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “I don’t particularly care about Jeonbuk. We will always play as we always do, in our own style.”
The lid is open. Ulsan was shaken by giving Song Min-gyu the opening goal in the 10th minute of the first half. It seemed as if the pieces of the puzzle of 11 people, including the field and the goalkeeper, did not fit together as if they were being pressed by the opponent’s spirit. Fortunately, it came together in the middle of the first half. Led by increasing market share. In the 43rd minute of the first half, Eom Won-sang took the point in the pre-game situation.
Even in the second half, it was tight. Soon after, a crisis came. Um Won-sang fell down. Coach Hong Myung-bo, who had already judged Um Won-sang to be imperfect, brought out Rubik’s Hand from the Swedish national team. The attack has regained vigour. Coach Hong Myung-bo emphasized before the game that “mistakes had an impact.” Ulsan caught it. Rubiksson intercepted Hong Jeong-ho and Kim Jeong-hun (GK)’s pass miss in the penalty box and scored a turnaround goal.
After that, Jeonbuk’s offensive was obvious. Accordingly, coach Hong Myung-bo started the prepared plan. If the opponent decides to knock it, it will be pushed down. However, it was not an extreme defensive method. The players reduced fouls as much as possible with intelligent play in the dangerous area and showed their concentration on the ball and the player. Even a fleeting moment was not tolerated. At the end of the game, Martin Adam (FW), Kim Min-hyeok (MF), and Cho Hyun-taek (DF) took out three cards at the same time. It may seem like buying time, but Adam’s input was a paving stone for a single shot and a card to overwhelm with power when defending. As a result, he endured, blocked, and won.
Now there is no Jeonbuk jinx in Ulsan. Coach Hong Myung-bo worked tirelessly to get rid of the ‘second-man tag’ after his appointment. Communicate with the players and actively utilize veterans, including Park Joo-young (head coach), to create a ‘one team’. It paid off last season. Knowing that there was another mountain over the hill this season, he and the players gnashed his teeth even more. He successfully decorated his first edition. Certainly, since ‘Hong (Myeongbo)’ is planted, the players are ‘excited’ and run around the ground with excitement. 안전놀이터
Jeonbuk applauded as the champion, and rang the victory in front of 28,000 cloud spectators. Based on the league last season, 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss broke the Jeonbuk jinx. 1 win this season. Don’t drop your head at the crucial moment. The league record was tied with ‘109 matches, 40 wins, 29 draws, and 40 losses’. Now, the only team that Ulsan is behind is its East Coast rival Pohang Steelers. They are inferior with 58 wins, 52 draws and 64 losses in 174 matches.
Coach Hong Myung-bo said, “I think the players who led the opening game to victory are great. I am happy and grateful to win in front of many fans,” he said. “We won the championship last season, so it is inevitable in terms of motivation. Finishing such a big game with a come-from-behind victory will be a great boost to us. It was the same last season, but it showed the growing power of not giving up until the end.”