[SPOTV News=Gimhae, Reporter Park Daesung] Busan IPark kept a clean sheet on the road in Gimhae, but the 1-0 win over the league’s bottom club was nervy and came with a sending-off. Coach Cho Sung-hwan said he was not satisfied.
On May 3 at Gimhae Sports Complex in Round 10 of the Hana Bank K League 2, Busan beat Gimhae FC 1-0. The victory came after a 3-2 loss at Suwon Samsung that ended their bid for an eight-game winning streak. The three points allowed Busan to retain first place; Suwon Samsung’s 3-1 loss to Suwon FC the same day pushed Busan’s lead from level to two points.
But Busan’s performance didn’t look like that of a top team. Before the match Cho had urged the squad to stop treating opponents by ranking, yet Gimhae still carved out several clear chances. If not for Kim Min-hyuk’s somewhat fortunate first-half opener, the result might have been very different. It was a clean sheet, but far from a convincing win.
After the game, Cho admitted the team had taken only the result. “I thank the Busan fans who traveled to Gimhae, but I’m sorry we didn’t show a better performance. As a coach, I feel I have many shortcomings. We need to put the team in a position to improve,” he said.
He stopped short of blaming the players but warned against complacency, saying, “I hope today’s match serves as a wake-up call for the players.” Statistically, Busan managed just two shots on target compared with Gimhae’s four. Although they are the league’s leading scorers, Busan had only ten total shots — one more than Gimhae’s nine.
Asked what needs fixing to combine performance with results, Cho pointed to possession, turnovers and overall game management. “There were question marks about how we’d perform against a struggling Gimhae. When the match unfolded, our possession, turnovers and game management weren’t sharp. That goes for both patient build-up and quick counterattacks. We’ll prepare to improve across the board,” he said.
After beating Gimhae, Busan now face Cheonan City FC. With Busan unbeaten at home this season, a second straight win is within reach.
But Cho warned against complacency. “I don’t want the players to rest on the three points from the Gimhae match. Recovery is the priority, so players must focus on getting back to full fitness. Our coaching staff will immediately analyze the next opponent, set a clear strategy and keep working to raise our level. We will show a better performance,” he said.
