Daejeon Hana Citizen head coach Hwang Sun-hong expressed disappointment after his team suffered a comprehensive defeat on the road in Gangneung.
The side fell 0-2 to Gangwon FC in the 14th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 at the Gangneung Hi-One Arena on the 12th, marking their second consecutive loss following the previous round.
Daejeon struggled against Gangwon’s intense high press, finding it difficult even to cross the halfway line. While they had opportunities late in the first half, they failed to convert any of them. Much like the first meeting between the two sides, Daejeon were thoroughly beaten by Gangwon.
After the match, Coach Hwang said, “In football, if you don’t score when chances come, it becomes tough. We didn’t give up until the end, but conceding late was disappointing. There is still one game left. We’ll prepare well. We must not lose confidence or courage. I understand the fans’ harsh words — they need to be accepted. We have to perform well in the final home game.”
He added, “It wasn’t easy to build from the back. We tried to target the wide spaces. I think the situation was similar. We had no choice but to play that way. We needed to keep possession a bit more, but we gave the ball away too easily. I believe we did as intended. When you trade chances but fail to finish, you pay a heavy price,” expressing regret over the team’s finishing.
Right-back Kim Moon-hwan was substituted due to an injury. Coach Hwang explained, “He came off because he said he couldn’t see. We’ll need to get him examined.”