While professional soccer’s K League 1 Suwon FC survived a direct relegation, Suwon Samsung was relegated to K League 2 for the first time since the club’s founding in 1995, and Suwon’s hometown player Lee Seung-woo was disappointed.
Suwon FC drew 1-1 with Jeju United in their final home match of the Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 at Suwon Sports Complex on Sunday.
With 33 points, Suwon FC finished the season in 11th place and avoided direct relegation.
Lee Seung-woo came on for Kim Do-yoon in the sixth minute of the first half and created a number of chances for Suwon FC in a flurry of moves that lasted until the end of the match.
In first-half stoppage time, he rose to meet a free kick from midfield by Lee Young-jae and delivered a precise header that was saved by goalkeeper Kim Dong-joon.
“It wasn’t an easy game, but even the players on the bench supported us with one mind, and everyone worked hard until the end to get the result,” Lee said in the post-match interview, relieved that Suwon avoided direct relegation.
However, he expressed sadness that Suwon will spend the 2024 season in the K League 2 after losing to Suwon FC on goal difference.
“I was also a Suwon fan,” Lee said. “Because of Suwon, there is the Suwon Derby (between Suwon and Suwon FC) and the Super Match (between FC Seoul and Suwon) in the K League, and it’s a shame that we won’t be able to play those big events.”
Lee, whose hometown is Suwon, was in contact with the club when he returned to the K League after a stint in Europe.
However, Lee’s team isn’t completely out of the K League 2 relegation picture.
Suwon FC will host Busan I-Park, the second-place team in the K League 2, in a two-game promotion playoff (PO) series on June 6 and 9.
Lee hasn’t played against Busan yet.
“When I was a kid, I remember sitting in the stands and watching Suwon FC play Busan in the promotion PO, and now I’m playing in a similar situation,” Lee said.
“We should stay in the K League 1. “If we prepare well like we did today, we can survive through the PO,” he said.
He continued, “It’s our responsibility to come to the promotion PO. We will do our best until the end,” he said, adding, “With the idea that we only have two more games, we will show a good performance from the first game of the PO.” 파워볼