K3 League leader Hwaseong got over the hump with a narrow point in ‘away hell’ Busan.

Hwaseong FC, coached by Kang Kang, earned a valuable point against Busan Transportation Corporation in the 25th round of the 2023 K3 League at Gudeok Stadium in Busan on March 9. With the win, Hwaseong FC still holds the upper hand in the title race with FC Mokpo.

Hwaseong, who were the favorites to win the title midway through the season, have been disappointing of late. To make matters worse, the gap between them and second-place Mokpo has narrowed to just three points. Before the game, Coach Kang said, “It’s true that the players are physically tired. However, we prepared hard for the game with the staff. We will do our best until the end to win,” he said.

Mars’ physical strain showed on the field. Led by Brazilian mercenaries Ruan and Sandy, Mars constantly harassed Busan but failed to capitalize on crucial chances. On the other hand, Busan, who were somewhat outnumbered, kept their cool and managed to stabilize the first half, especially in the 38th minute, when they denied Mars a set-piece goal with the promised offside trap. After that, however, the teams went into the half scoreless, with neither side creating any significant scoring chances.

The second half was just as hot as the first. At the start of the second half, Park Jung-woo warned Mars that they would not be giving up the points easily when he fired a shot from right in front of the goal. On the other hand, the Mars offense, which was lacking in speed, was stymied by Busan’s defense and couldn’t create any good chances.안전놀이터

In the end, it was Busan who scored the first goal, contrary to everyone’s expectations. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Hwang Eun-seok took advantage of a signed miss by the Hwaseong defense and scored a header. The goal set the tone for the rest of the match, and Busan continued to harass Hwaseong, especially in the 30th minute, when Han Gun-yong’s low, quick cross narrowly missed teammate Kim So-woong, proving that Busan’s first goal was no fluke.

Busan’s momentum was halted when defender Kim Kyung-min was sent off. In the 37th minute of the second half, Kim received a red card for a rough tackle. Desperate for a point, Mars took advantage of the opportunity. Forward Sandy, who looked heavy throughout the game, finally capitalized on the opportunity in the 39th minute. Afterward, Sandy used his height to try to turn the game around with a header, but unfortunately, the goalkeeper was able to make the save and no further goals were scored.

After the game, Coach Steele said, “It’s disappointing that the game didn’t go the way we wanted. I’m grateful to the players for finishing the game with a draw even though it was an away game with a lot of pressure.” “The next game is at home, so we have an advantage. We will definitely finish with a win and get closer to the title,” he said.

Sandy, who scored the dramatic equalizer, added: “I’m really happy to have scored when we needed it. But it wasn’t an easy game. The Busan players play very rough, unlike the Brazilians, so it wasn’t easy to adapt.” “Everyone will do their best until the end of the season. We will definitely be able to achieve our goals,” he said, adding that he was optimistic about the win.