When professional soccer Daegu FC is in trouble, this player always does his part.
Technician Sejingya (34), who is called the ‘King of Daegu’, is the main character. After resolving Daegu’s relegation crisis last year, he presented his first victory this year, making the crowd (12,253) enthusiastic for the first time in four years.
Daegu won 2-0 in a home game against Jeonbuk Hyundai in the 4th round of the 2023 K League 1 held at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu on the 19th, thanks to consecutive goals from Kim Jin-hyeok and Sejingya.
After winning 1 win (2 draws and 1 loss) in 4 games, Daegu rose to 6th place at once. On the other hand, unlike the expectations raised as a candidate for the championship before the opening, Jeonbuk (1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses) left a disappointing collapse in 8th place.
The game on this day drew attention as Daegu’s revenge match. Last year, when Daegu lost 0-5 to Jeonbuk, there was a bad relationship that put them in danger of relegation. It was also the opponent that made Choi Won-kwon, who was acting manager at the time, shed tears in front of fans.
Coach Choi himself shook his head, saying, “It has already passed,” but the Daegu players thought differently. He went beyond jumping one more step and threw himself, harassing Jeonbuk, which was one step above in power. Playing coach Lee Yong-rae and veteran Lee Geun-ho took the initiative and boosted the atmosphere.
The effect was shown in goals. Daegu scored the first goal in the 10th minute from a free kick chance from the Jeonbuk side. When Keita’s ball hit the opposing goalkeeper’s hand and fell, defender Kim Jin-hyeok, with his sensuous right foot, hit the corner of the goal. 메이저놀이터
After scoring the valuable first goal, Daegu’s remaining task was to crack down on the goal. Daegu did everything in its power to block Jeonbuk’s fierce offensive. Even if Jeonbuk gave up possession of the ball, the first half ended without any effective shots, but the recent pain of missing the victory due to defensive anxiety could not relax. Jeonbuk’s Hafa Silva’s sharp shot in the 20th minute and Gustavo’s header shot in the 31st minute were threatening. Amid tension, both teams collided and warnings followed.
When a reversal was needed, Sejingya did his part. Substituted for Baselus in the 14th minute of the second half, he scored the decisive goal just before the end. Sejingya caught Jang Seong-Won’s low pass from the left flank, then inserted it into the right side of the goalpost with his left foot to seal the victory. It was Daegu’s first victory in 2023 and a shot to announce that the king of Daegu has returned.
Cesingya’s score was even more brilliant in that it came amidst a struggle with injury. He injured his adductor muscle on the 15th and desperately needed a break, but volunteered to play for the team. Coach Choi said, “I was disqualified as a leader because I was injured,” but “I am so grateful to Sejingya. I look forward to seeing these young players and becoming Daegu’s DNA.”
In Suwon, Daejeon Hana Citizen beat home team Suwon Samsung 3-1 with relay goals from Lee Jin-hyun, Byun Jun-su and Kim Min-deok. The promoted team Daejeon continued their undefeated march with 2 wins and 2 draws (8 points), while Suwon (1 draw and 3 losses) stayed in last place.