Looking back on Daejeon Hana Citizen's first win with Park In-hyeok, Bruno Baio, and Lee Kyu-ro

The Hana era began for Daejeon Citizen three years ago this week. The Purples began the 2020 campaign with a 2-1 away win over Suwon FC on Saturday 9th May that year and some players have revealed that they were very nervous, while others say it was business as usual. K League United looks back on the occasion with Park In-hyeok, Bruno Baio, and Lee Kyu-ro who recount what it was like to play in that match.

Football behind closed doors during the pandemic seems like a lifetime ago. The 2020 season began late and for Daejeon fans, it began away to Suwon FC who will have been watching from home, nervously as their new-look club began life as Daejeon Hana Citizen. I was probably the only Daejeon fan in the stadium that day and so consider myself very fortunate to be part of a historic day for the club.

In the history books will be the players who took to the field that afternoon, all 14 of them including the three substitutes. K League United spoke to three who started, namely Park In-hyeok, Bruno Baio, and Lee Kyu-ro, to find out what it was like and what they remember the most.

Park In-hyeok

Park In-hyeok (far right) celebrates after assisting Andre Luis (second left)

Forward Park In-hyeok, currently with Goyang Happiness in K4 for military service, arrived at Daejeon in the spring of 2018 and so was one of the few Citizen-era players to start the match against Suwon FC. Castle Park was also a happy hunting ground for Park as it was the very stadium where he scored his first K League goals, a brace in a 2-1 win over Suwon in April 2018.

Park teed up André Luis to make it 1-1 10 minutes before the interval:

"Yes, I got the assist for André's goal. It rained a lot that day and it was the first game after the club was refounded so I remember that I was very nervous.

"First of all, it was an honour to start and play in Daejeon's first match after the club was refounded. I don't think I performed that well but it was good that I got the assist for Andre's goal.

"Because we had prepared very well during pre-season, all the players felt confident more than any pressure.

"Any team who goes a goal down looks to make up for it as soon as possible. Luckily, the equaliser came early and I think making good use of that feeling was a factor in us getting the win.

"I don't remember exactly when the coach announced the team but I remember being really determined to do well in the game. It's always important to perform well but as this was the first game, I really wanted to be of help to the team. I was hoping for a transfer away from the club at the time, but when I heard that Hwang Sun-hong was going to be appointed, I decided to stay at Daejeon Hana Citizen so I could learn from him.

"As always, with every game you want to score and contribute to a win [so] it was a huge honour [to get an assist]. I'm not a Daejeon player anymore but whichever team I play for, I just want to win and be contributing."

Bruno Baio

Baio (centre) tussles with current Daejeon centre back Cho Yu-min

Up top as Hwang Sun-hong's number nine was Brazilian striker Bruno Baio who was making his Daejeon debut.

"I remember that it was a very special day, the players were very excited with the beginning of the season and with the beginning of a new Daejeon Hana era. There is always pressure to win the games and it wasn’t different that day, we really wanted to start the championship with a win and we also wanted to start well this new phase of the club.

"I felt very happy, it was my first game at the club and I was really nervous because I wanted to play really well to help the team achieve their first win with the new name. I was very anxious to score in that game, it was my debut, it was Daejeon’s restart with the new name, therefore, I was really nervous in the game to be able to score and cement myself even more in Daejeon’s history.

"I knew I would start in that game, we trained all week with the team who would start the game. Our team was already in tune and that’s why we won the game."

[READ: Flashback | Daejeon's Hana era began three years ago this week]

Lee Kyu-ro

Lee Kyu-ro (third right) is all smiles following the win over Suwon FC

Left back Lee Kyu-ro was another debutant on that rainy day in early May 2020, one of seven plus centre back Lee Woong-hee who was making his first start since re-signing for the Purples. His arrival was announced on the day of Daejeon's official re-foundation along with a whole host of others.

At the time it felt like a must-win game for Daejeon and the club had to get off to a good start given the media and fan attention due to the Hana takeover. But Lee says that he didn't feel any more pressure than usual:

"More than the pressure to win, I think professional players definitely want to win, and I don't think anyone goes into the stadium with the thought of losing. And I think we should do our best because there are fans who cheer us on. It was so nice to play in a team that had big expectations and so I had a sense of responsibility but I don't remember exactly when the manager told me as a senior play when I was going to be starting the game."

Lee says that there were a lot of expectations placed on Daejeon following the takeover and that it was meaningful for him to be involved in this first match against Suwon FC:

"What I remember the most is that I was a founding member of the team and so to be able to play in that game was meaningful."

Lee Kyu-ro spent 18 months at Daejeon before departing for Seoul E-Land. He has since retired but says he sometimes keeps in touch with some of the players at Daejeon:

"I do from time to time speak to some of the younger players and I am friendly with (Cho) Jae-cheol, (Kim) Keun-bae, (Koo) Bon-sang, and (Kim) Jin-young. I see them quite often."

Special thanks to Park In-hyeok, Bruno Baio, and Lee Kyu-ro for their time as well as KLU's Diogo Valente for the Portuguese translation.