Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors B Team Record Their First Jeonju Derby Victory

Jeonbuk B have gotten their first taste of victory in the Jeonju Derby, beating local rivals Jeonju Citizen 2-1. The fixture has only been played three times before since Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors formed their B team in 2022 to participate in the K4 League. The previous meetings ended in 5-4, 2-1 and 1-0 defeats. 

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Like many of the team's games this season, it featured quite a few A team and older players. André Luis played 64 minutes as he continues to build up his fitness. The Brazillian has not featured for Jeonbuk A since the 5-2 victory over Paju Citizen in the FA Cup in June. Lee Dong-jun and Tomáš Petrášek also feature as they look to prepare themselves for the A team as well.

Yun Young-sun has been a B team exclusive player this season, bar a singular FA Cup appearance. As for Lee Soo-bin and Maeng Seong-ung, they have contributed more to the A side but still see vast amounts of their game time spent with the B team.

Head coach An Dae-hyun made some intriguing decisions when selecting the team lineup. Park Kyu-min, usually a right-winger, fielded as a defensive mid and Kang Young-suk at right-back, usually the defensive midfielder. It is not uncommon for the gaffer to experiment with some players and their positions, especially in defensive positions, an area Jeonbuk's youth system has struggled to produce sufficient quality.

Venue Switch

The match was played at Wanju Public Stadium, the home of Jeonbuk B. Yet Jeonbuk was the away team as Jeonju's home ground, Jeonju Sports Complex, which also happens to be an old stadium of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from 1995 to 2002, was unavailable for usage due to the pitch condition.

Jeonju Ultimate Music Festival held an event at the stadium last month, and as a result, the grass was ruined. A similar situation to the World Scout Jamboree mess. 

As a consequence, not only is Jeonju Citizen having to change stadiums until the unknown date when Jeonju Sports Complex will be in a stable condition, Kitchee, who will be playing Jeonbuk A soon in the AFC Champions League, was supposed to use Jeonju Sports Complex as their training ground while they are in Korea for this fixture. Jeonju City Council are now pushing for Jeonbuk to be moved out of their clubhouse (Jeonbuk's training facility) to allow Kitchee to use it as a training ground.

A final decision has not been announced yet. It is only a suggestion at this stage as Jeonbuk own the clubhouse, but pressure is being applied on the FA Cup champions to provide their clubhouse for Kitchee. Jeonbuk youth teams would also need to be forced out of the facility for this to happen.

It is becoming a recurring theme that music festivals and other events cause chaos when it comes to football in North Jeolla.

The Game

First Half

Jeonbuk B, in their all-white away uniform, kicked the game off. A decent atmosphere was present throughout the match, with both sets of fans making plenty of noise. 

It became apparent within the first minutes what An Dae-hyun was trying with Park Kyu-min and Kang Young-suk. At times when out of possession, Park and Kang would maintain their positions as they were in the lineup. However, when in possession, Park Kyu-min would slot into right-back, and Kang Young-suk would move inwards.

6', the first significant opportunity presented itself for Jeonju Citizen. Originating from a Jeonbuk throw midway into the Jeonju half. Park Kyu-min was the receiver and poorly gave up possession by attempting to flick the ball through the Jeonju defensive wall. It was easily intercepted, and Jeonju broke on the counter, looking to immediately bypass the Jeonbuk high-line.  

Kang Young-suk got the ball at the halfway line and passed it back to goalkeeper Kim Tae-yang. It looked like any danger was avoided. Kim Tae-yang then passed it first time to Petrášek who attempted to lay it off to Yun Young-sun but it wasn't a great ball from the former Czech international. Yun lunged over but the Jeonju press was able to intercept, leaving the Jeonbuk defence wide open. The ball is played to Kim Do-hyung through on goal who does not hit the ball sweetly enough, and fortunately for the Green Warriors, it drags wide.

26' Yang Tae-ryoul, currently on loan to Jeonju from Pohang Steelers, hits the post from a long-range effort outside the box. He takes a singular touch when receiving the ball, then hits an almost perfect shot into the top right corner. Kim Tae-yang was beaten. Fortunately, again, the away side gets away with it.

36' Jeonju in again with Kim Do-hyung. Kim Tae-yang makes a strong save, denying the Jeonju captain who goes for a rebound, lifting it over the bar. 

39' A Yu Ye-chan cross from the left meets Lee Joon-ho at the back post. He doesn't get a good connection but still forces a save from Jeonju keeper Kim Seon-guk and earns Jeonbuk a corner.

Half Time Observations

Jeonbuk struggled with possession. Not lack of it but what to do with it. They have quality players going forward but they were starved of decent opportunities on goal. And most of what they did get were merely half-chances.

Jeonju had some brilliant opportunities to take the lead, mostly coming from Jeonbuk's errors on the ball. If Kim Do-hyung had his shooting boots on, they would easily be 2-0 up at the break.

Without a doubt, the biggest problem on the pitch for Jeonbuk B this season has been the defence. Even experienced defenders like Yun Young-sun and Petrášek don't change anything. Petrášek was at fault for nearly giving away a goal, while Yun has made some major errors this season. This match was no different. Constant uneasiness defensively, often while in possession. 

Half Time Changes

Lee Soo-bin came on, replacing Yun Young-sun. He slotted in at DM alongside Maeng Seong-ung while Park Kyu-min was pushed forward and Park Chae-jun to the left. 

Lee Soo-bin was deployed in a role similar to Park Kyu-min for the first half. This time, he was interchanging with Yu Ye-chan on the left. This is something An Dae-hyun regularly does with Lee Soo-bin.

There was another An Dae-hyun experiment. Somewhat bizarrely placing striker Lee Joon-ho at centre-back. Something he has done in the past with big strikers, including new boy Yoon Do-won (A player Petrescu liked) from Jeonju University. 

This testing of strikers at centre-back perfectly illustrates how few options there are in the academy at the moment in that position.

[READ: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Goalkeeper Solutions Post Song Bum-keun]

Second Half

51' Goal Jeonju takes the lead through Oh Tae-hwan. Excellent chest down and volley right into the top right corner. Poor marking from Jeonbuk. Oh Tae-hwan was easily picked up in the box from a throw. 1-0.

54' GOAL! Park Chae-jun gives Jeonbuk a swift equaliser. Lovely build-up play from Jeonbuk. André gets the assist with a clever well-executed flick that lobs the Jeonju defence and falls directly into the area Park Chae-jun roamed into. He controls it well and passes it into the bottom left corner. 1-1.

64' Substitution: Lee Dong-jun comes on for André

76' Kim Chang-soo scores directly from a free-kick for Jeonju but it was disallowed as there was player interference from an offside position.

76' Substitutions: Lee Kyu-dong and Lee Woo-yeon replace Kim Chang-hoon and Park Chae-jun. Lee Joon-ho moves back up front.

90+6' GOAL!! Lee Dong-jun with a last-minute winner. Jeonbuk broke on the counter, and Lee Dong-jun was left open in the box. He receives the ball, then shimmies his way through and blasts it into the roof of the net, delivering Jeonbuk B their first Jeonju derby win.

Full Time: Jeonju Citizen 1-2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors B

The win places Jeonbuk B seventh still with three games in hand on teams surrounding them. Four points from fourth and seven from second, a push for the top four could be on! 

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