[Sports Seoul | Suwon — Reporter Jeong Da-wo] Suwon Samsung head coach Lee Jung-hyo acknowledged the loss after his team surrendered a lead in the first Suwon derby.
Lee’s side fell 1-3 to Suwon FC on May 3 at Suwon Sports Complex in Round 10 of the 2026 Hana Bank K League 2. Suwon Samsung controlled a dominant first half and led 1-0, but conceded three second-half goals and the match slipped away.
The defeat left Suwon Samsung in second place, three points behind leaders Busan IPark (25 points).
After the game, Lee said, “Suwon FC deserved to win. Football isn’t only played in the first half — you have to sustain your energy through the second. In that respect, we were outmatched. We’re not champions; we’re challengers, and we need to prepare with that mentality.”
He added, “Even though it was an away match, many fans came and gave us energy. As the coach, I feel responsible for not being able to repay them. Excuses won’t help. We have to do what we can, accept the defeat and overcome the pressure. We’ll prepare properly for the next match.”
The game was almost two different matches between the halves. Defensively, the team — which had shown cracks in the previous match — fell apart again. Lee assessed, “We got anxious because we couldn’t add a second goal, and that urgency didn’t help our performance.” He stressed, “This is worrying. We need to create more chances. I’ll talk with the players so we can get past this.”
Go Seung-beom returned to Suwon and finished a brilliant opener, but Lee downplayed its significance: “It was a great goal, but it means nothing because we lost. Coach Ma Cheol-jun and the players prepared well. It would have been nice if it had been the winner — that’s disappointing.” weo@sportsseoul.com
