“I wouldn’t have wanted to live if the goal was disallowed”
Gangwon FC pulled off a thrilling 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Suwon FC in the 11th round of the Hana One Q K League 1 2024 at Suwon Sports Complex on Friday.
Gangwon conceded an early goal to Lee Seung-woo in the 31st minute of the second half and found themselves in a chasing position, but they equalized in the 37th minute when Cho Jin-hyuk 먹튀검증 pushed Yoon Seok-young’s cross from the left flank into the back of the net after being chest-trapped.
Riding the momentum from there, Kangwon continued to press Suwon, and in late stoppage time, the hosts capitalized on a mistake by goalkeeper Ahn Jun-soo on a corner kick. Ahn Jun-soo failed to handle the aerial ball properly, allowing Jeong Jung-min to slot the ball into the Suwon net for the theater’s final goal.
A late equalizer and a late winner gave Gangwon a thrilling 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Suwon in heavy rain. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and lifted the team’s spirits. They also leapfrogged Suwon to fourth place in the standings, dropping them to fifth.
The player of the match was Gangwon winger Cho Jin-hyuk, born in 2000, who scored the equalizer. He came on as a second-half substitute and scored a crucial equalizer to turn the tide. He even prayed with his hands together as the video assistant referee (VAR) was activated for a long time after the goal, but fortunately, it was recognized as a goal.
The equalizer against Suwon was especially meaningful because it was Cho Jin-hyuk’s K League debut goal. Jo Jin-hyuk, who joined Gangwon ahead of the 2023 season, only made two league appearances for the first team last season, but has been gradually increasing his playing time this season, playing seven games, including the game against Suwon.
Utilized as a substitute for the main striker, he scored his K League debut goal and the game-winner of the season at a crucial time as the team was on a losing streak.
At the post-match press conference, Cho Jin-hyuk said, “This is the first time we’ve turned a losing game around this season, so it feels great and I’m grateful to the players for playing hard on a rainy day.”
When asked how he felt about scoring his K League debut goal, he said, “It’s a moment that I’ve imagined countless times in my mind, but it’s like a dream come true.” He also said, “I’m glad that (Yoon) Seok-young was able to make it happen.
“When (Yoon) Seok-young kicked the ball, I was getting ready. The ball came faster than I thought, and I thought it wasn’t going to hit Yago’s head, so I went in quickly, but I was lucky enough to get it in,” he said humbly.
When asked how he felt when the VAR reviewed the goal to see if it should be disallowed, he said, “It was a dream situation, and I wouldn’t have wanted to live if the goal was disallowed.” He expressed his eagerness to score his K League debut goal.
After scoring his K League debut goal, Cho Jin-hyuk promised to perform a special gesture if he scores another goal. “I imagined so many gestures, but after scoring the goal, I couldn’t think of anything,” he said. “I want to perform a heart gesture to the fans if I score a goal next time.”
As for his next goal and what he hopes to accomplish this season, he said, “I scored my first offensive point, but I hope to play more games and hope that Gangwon will win and be ranked high.”