‘From desperation to desperation to the end.’ This was the banner that Suwon fans hung in the away supporters’ section of Suwon Sports Complex, where the crucial ‘Suwon Derby’ was held on December 12. Among the banners, which criticized the “indifference of the parent company and the ability of the club’s front office,” was a call to fight to stay in the league. Acting Suwon head coach Yeom Ki-hoon said, “Even when I went to the P-level coach training, all I could think about was Suwon. I told the players to just do our thing. There is a lot of pressure, but I think the players’ will will come out because they have to carry it.”

Facing its biggest crisis since its inception, Suwon responded to the fans’ messages of despair with a fighting spirit and an upset victory. At the center of it all was Kim Joo-chan (19), the youngest player born in 2004. There was a lot going on on the pitch until Kim, who injured his ankle in the warm-up, was substituted midway through the second half. First, Suwon’s Japanese midfielder Kazuki received a direct red card for punching Kim Do-yoon in the face, regardless of the ball, in the 14th minute of the first half. Yeom admitted that he “panicked” in the moment. Suddenly outnumbered, Suwon piled on the pressure and conceded a header to Hugo Gomes from a corner in the 30th minute. The game played out in a scenario that Yeom, the Suwon players and, most importantly, the Suwon fans in the away end could not have imagined. 무지개토토 주소

Despite the early setback, Suwon refused to give up. Hunkered down and withstood the onslaught of Suwon FC, Suwon found the equalizer in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. From a corner kick, Acosti capitalized on a punching error by the opposing goalkeeper. With momentum on their side, Suwon put the game out of reach eight minutes into the second half when Ahn Byung-joon received a chest pass from Acosti and rifled a right-footed mid-range shot into the bottom left corner of the goal. Ahn’s goal came at a crucial time after a five-month silence. Kim Joo-chan then came on for Acosti in the 14th minute of the second half, a move by Yeom to utilize Kim’s quick feet and goal-scoring ability on the counterattack.

Suwon equalized on a header by Kim Hyun in the 15th minute, just one minute after Kim Joo-chan came on. With 24 shots on goal on the day, it looked like the pendulum had swung back in Suwon’s favor. Heroes are born out of adversity, and Kim would soon have his chance. In the 33rd minute, a roving pass from Mullich sailed over the defense and into the opponent’s box. Kim quickly collected the ball and found himself one-on-one with the keeper. Kim’s composure was remarkable for a 19-year-old, first-year pro. He fired his first and only shot of the day into the goal, which turned out to be the game-winner. Kim rushed to the front of the away supporters’ section and performed a goal celebration, which made the fans even more excited. “It’s amazing that he has such determination and confidence at such a young age,” Yeom said, and Kim replied, “It’s thanks to the coach and my brothers for believing in me.” Since scoring his professional debut against Ulsan in July, Kim has scored five goals in five matches, with Suwon winning four, drawing one and earning 13 points. Kim Joo-chan is the “blue bird of victory.