Koo Ja-cheol of Jeju United of the K League 1 made his second straight start after a long injury layoff. “Actually, today was the day I helped another player with his fitness,” he joked after the game.
Koo started the match against Gimpo FC in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hana Bank Korea Cup at Gimpo Solar Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m. on Sunday and played 45 minutes before being substituted to complete his duties. The team won 1-0 thanks to a late header from Yuri Jonatan in stoppage time. Jeju reached the quarterfinals of the Korea Cup for the second consecutive season.
It was only the second appearance of the season for Koo Ja-cheol, who had to go through a long rehabilitation tunnel after suffering a calf injury last October. It was a frustrating time as he was either injured or rehabbing again before returning to action.
However, Koo returned to the starting lineup last weekend against the Pohang Steelers and played 45 minutes, his first official match in 279 days. Just four days later, he started in Gimpo.
Coincidentally, the Gimpo Solar soccer field was playing host to an 'underwater battle' that day. Heavy rain pounded the field, and puddles of water formed 토토사이트 all over the field, disrupting the flow of the game. Even national team player Koo Ja-cheol struggled with his passes.
“Actually, I didn't do anything special today,” he told reporters in the post-match mixer zone, ‘I just played a role in organizing the team's physical fitness for 45 minutes,’ he said with a wry smile. “I haven't played a game like this since I was in middle and high school,” he said tongue-in-cheek, ”but our team's purpose was clear. We were losing the power battle early on, so I told them to calm down. I tried to do my best, but I don't think there was much I could do,” he added.
With the win, Jeju reached the Korea Cup quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. For Koo, it's a chance to avenge last year's disappointment, when he was left out of the roster due to illness and had to watch his team lose.
“I don't think I've had good memories of the Korea Cup in my career. This time around, we want to go as far as we can. Before I get greedy, I want to focus more and win one or two more games.”
“Actually, before I came back, the most common question I heard around me was, 'When are you coming back?' At first, I answered, but as my comeback kept getting delayed, I couldn't say anything. In the end, I'm grateful to be back and to be able to play with them. It makes me full and happy,” he said. “I'm looking forward to the next game more than today's game. I'm trying to embrace my role as a senior and lead the team so that everyone has one goal.”