Ulsan Hyundai had a strong wind of change ahead of the 2022 season. Lee Dong-kyung (26), Lee Dong-jun (26), Oh Se-hoon (24), Ulsan’s Mirae 3 left at once. Lee Dong-jun and Oh Se-hoon were ‘complete transfers’, and Lee Dong-gyeong was ‘rent’.바카라사이트
Lee Dong-gyeong is a representative ‘seonggol’ who grew up in the Ulsan youth system. At Hyundai Middle School and Hyundai High School, he developed his dream of becoming a pro. Debuting in the K-League in 2018, he had his best year in 2021. He participated in the Tokyo Olympics, and scored 6 goals-3 assists in 28 appearances in the K League 1. ‘Crazy Left Foot’ was his trademark. However, Ulsan cried at ‘second place in ten thousand years’, and he chose a new challenge.
However, the journey of Lee Dong-gyeong as well as Lee Dong-joon and Oh Se-hoon was a thorny road. After passing Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga 2nd division, Lee Dong-kyung faced European soccer at Hansa Rostock. It was a valuable experience, but not an easy challenge. He was crippled by a fractured vertebrae in his foot upon transfer. In Schalke 04, he only played in one game and failed to transfer completely. He dreamed of a revival at Hansa Rostock, but only made 2 starts and 10 substitute appearances. He played 313 minutes.
Hertha Berlin’s Lee Dong-jun also failed to make a soft landing. He returned to Jeonbuk Hyundai this season, not Ulsan. Oh Se-hoon is living in the J-League 2 this season after Shimizu was demoted.
On the other hand, Ulsan opened a new era last year. He lifted the long-awaited K-League 1 championship cup. It was the first K-League 1 in 17 years. This year, since the club was founded, it is running toward its first K-League 1 2nd consecutive victory.
Ulsan had a chaotic summer with Park Yong-woo transferring. Lee Dong-gyeong made a comeback as a substitute in the 32nd minute in the second half of the 12th, but the light faded with a loss against Incheon (1:2) after 4 years and 10 months. Traces of his long absence were also felt. He was not in a normal physical condition. On the 15th, Ulsan lost to Suwon Samsung 1-3, falling into a swamp of losing streak for the first time since Hong Myung-bo took over as manager.
Coach Hong, who desperately needed a turnaround, had a gamble-like adventure against Jeju on the 21st. Lee Dong-gyeong was selected. Ahead of the game against Jeju, Lee Dong-kyung did set-piece training using his left foot, but it was not as good as before. Director Hong laughed and said, “You can’t even use your left foot anymore.” Still, his faith was not betrayed. He experimented with Lee Dong-gyeong with the intention of improving his performance through his participation.
His ‘Pin-Point Mercenary’ was a hit. Lee Dong-gyeong’s ‘crazy left foot’ did not rust. In the 29th minute of the first half, he assisted Kim Min-hyeok’s opening goal with a left-footed free kick. Five minutes later, from a corner kick set piece, Lee Myung-jae’s pass was connected with a picturesque left-footed shot and split the net. The trajectory of the ball was an art. Ulsan escaped from the shock of a losing streak by winning 2-1 with Lee Dong-gyeong’s one-man show at the fore.
A smile spread across Hong’s lips. He said, “I decided that Lee Dong-gyeong’s form should be improved through the game. Although it was burdensome, I continued to monitor the previous appearance and check the physical side. I think it will be a great help to score a goal from a prepared set piece. It was also a good score to improve myself.”
Although he couldn’t be full after the first drink, Lee Dong-gyeong was relieved of the pressure. He said, “I came back with only one goal: to win.” He also emphasized, “I see players putting a lot of effort into defending the championship. If we work together until the end, of course there will be good results.” ‘Absolute top 1’ Ulsan gained new momentum.