Gangwon was a place with a special meaning to Korean-Japanese defender Han Ho-gang (Suwon Samsung).
Suwon won 2-0 with consecutive goals from Han Ho-gang and Ahn Byung-jun in the Hanawon Q K-League 1 2023 round 13 away match against Gangwon FC held at Songam Sports Town in Chuncheon on the 13th.
Suwon, who added 3 points, maintained 12th place with 2 wins, 2 draws and 9 losses, with 8 points. However, by narrowing the gap with Gangwon in 11th place to 2 points, they prepared a stepping stone to escape from the bottom.
On this day, Han Ho-gang started as a center back in place of Bultuis, who was unable to come out due to suspension due to accumulated warnings in the previous round against Jeonbuk.
Suwon coach Kim Byung-soo explained, “We needed a sense of stability in the defense. The coaching staff said that Han Ho-gang had the ability to lead the defense. Since there was no player who could lead, we used Han Ho-gang as the starter.”
Han Ho-gang tied up Gangwon striker Dino. Overwhelmed Dino in an aerial competition. Gangwon, who tried to make use of Dino’s tall height, was unable to break through Han Ho-gang’s impregnable defense.
Han Ho-gang also scored a valuable opening goal. In the 34th minute of the first half, Lee Ki-je’s left-footed cross was headed. It was the first goal scored in the K-League.
Han Ho-gang, a Korean-Japanese, made his professional debut with Blaublitz Akita in Japan’s J3 League. Afterwards, he moved to the J1 League Yokohama FC and moved to the K League 2 Jeonnam Dragons in March of last year and set foot on Korean soil. In the J-League, his name is quite well known as a defender who scores well with heading goals, but he showed off his set-piece solver instinct without regret in Suwon.
Han Ho-gang, who played for one season in Jeonnam and joined Suwon in February this year, made his K-League 1 debut in the 8th round against Seoul. And he scored his debut goal in 4 matches.
Han Ho-gang, whom we met in the mixed zone after the game, shared his feelings about his first goal in Korea.
Han Ho-gang said, “First of all, I want to say thank you to (Lee) Gi-je. I am happy to have scored my first goal in the K-League 1.” 안전놀이터
In particular, he said that it was meaningful because he succeeded in scoring against Gangwon. Han Ho-gang said, “Personally, Gangwon-do was my grandfather’s hometown, so it was more meaningful. Before the game, I had a big heart, saying, ‘I have to do it today’.”
Ahn Byung-jun, who scored the extra goal that day, is also a Korean-Japanese player. Ho-gang Han laughed, “We didn’t talk separately after the game, but I didn’t expect both of us to score today.”
Han Ho-gang, who started in the J3 League and played in the top league of Korean professional football, said, “I haven’t had time to look back until now. I just came up with the mindset of doing my best in each game in front of me. that,” he said.
He added, “I can look back on what I have done so far after I retire.
Lastly, he said, “I want to fill the maximum number of games this season,” and “I want to become a player who can help the Suwon Samsung team compete in the K-League 1 next year.”