Despite having their three-game winning streak snapped, Daegu FC 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 the K League 1. It was against Incheon United at DGB Daegu Bank Park on the 28th of April, and the team’s attacking core, Sejingya and Edgar, as well as Hong Chul and Keita, took to the field.
It wasn’t easy from the outset. Hong Chul suffered a knee injury just 14 minutes into the opening game 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 27 March.토토사이트
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 to action after three games on 19 March against Jeonbuk Hyundai, only to be sidelined again, and a month later, on 20 March against Daejeon Hana Citizen, he started and played the full match and stayed on until the Incheon match.
Edgar is also back. After being sidelined since the Pohang Steelers game on the 9th of this month due to a muscle injury, he returned to the starting line-up for the Incheon game following a substitute appearance in the FA Cup. Once on the pitch full-time, he showed his fitness by utilising his trademark delivery and scoring a fantastic multi-goal header.
The same can be said for Keita. After being dropped from 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, they have been able to pick up solid points and keep their mid-table fight alive.
Daegu head coach Choi Won-kwon was disappointed to see his side’s three-game winning streak snapped in a 2-2 draw with Incheon, but said: “We conceded first, but we fought back. It’s a positive thing that we created chances in the midst of a crisis,” he said, adding, “The line-up for today’s game is our best strength. Unless there are any special problems, we will go on like this.”
From now on, the team will have to focus on injury management. We are approaching the halfway point of the second round robin. Apart from league leaders Ulsan Hyundai (38 points), the teams in second to mid-table are closely spaced. This is the time when the loss of a key player will hurt a team even more.
Daegu has a distinct team colour that aims for a ‘one-shot’, not to go up through ball possession. They have to make quick judgements 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 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.