Kompetisi Hana Bank K League 2 2026 menggelar sejumlah pertandingan pekan ke-13 pada Senin, 25 Mei 2026 pukul 16.30 waktu setempat, yang mempertemukan Paju Frontier melawan Gimpo FC serta Suwon Samsung menghadapi Cheonan City FC.
Paju Frontier memperkenalkan kursi penonton variabel berkapasitas 300 tempat duduk di Stadion Paju, yang terdiri dari 200 area berdiri dan 100 area duduk, guna mendekatkan jarak suporter dengan lapangan pertandingan.
Langkah tersebut diambil manajemen klub setelah menerima permintaan konsisten dari para penggemar serta mendapat dukungan penuh dari pejabat Kota Paju, bahkan realisasinya berjalan dua hingga tiga minggu lebih cepat dari jadwal semula.
Pelatih kepala Paju Frontier, Gerard Nuss Casanova, menerapkan formasi 4-3-3 dengan mengandalkan lini pertahanan yang dipimpin oleh Bonilla serta menyertakan penjaga gawang Kim Min-seung yang baru terpilih masuk skuad latihan tim nasional Asian Games di Bangkok, Thailand.
Sementara itu, pertandingan lain mempertemukan Cheonan City FC yang menantang tuan rumah Suwon Samsung di Stadion Piala Dunia Suwon dengan modal catatan tidak terkalahkan dalam tujuh laga beruntun di liga.
Manajer Cheonan City FC, Park Jin-seop, memberikan instruksi khusus kepada anak asuhnya untuk mengantisipasi atmosfer stadion besar serta meredam agresivitas tim lawan lewat kekompakan organisasi permainan di lini tengah.
"Suwon Samsung is a strong team aiming for the championship. We will face them with our organizational strength." ujar Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Pihak manajemen mengandalkan duet Heo Dong-min dan Ramas di sektor tengah, serta menyiapkan Lee Jun-ho bersama Sarzani sebagai pemain pengganti di babak kedua untuk memecah kebuntuan lini serang tanpa mengorbankan stabilitas pertahanan.
"Although it is an away game, I hope the players do not get nervous but instead enjoy the atmosphere of Suwon World Cup Stadium, which attracts many spectators." kata Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Cheonan City FC tercatat baru kebobolan 10 gol dari 11 pertandingan sepanjang musim ini, menjadikannya tim dengan lini pertahanan terbaik kedua di kompetisi K League 2.
"These players do not have much experience in such big games. I instructed them to remain calm inside the stadium, communicate more with each other, and work through the game." ujar Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Strategi pertahanan berlapis tersebut disiapkan secara khusus selama satu minggu dengan merujuk pada taktik tim-tim lain yang sebelumnya berhasil meredam kekuatan ofensif anak asuh Lee Jeong-hyo.
"We placed Heo Dong-min next to the technically superior Ramas." kata Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Tim pelatih berharap kombinasi pemain muda dan berpengalaman ini mampu menjaga ritme permainan dan mengamankan poin penting sebelum kompetisi memasuki jeda Piala Dunia.
"I expect these two players to play a good connecting role in the midfield, such as passing. Since Heo Dong-min is still young, I expect him to run energetically and inject fighting spirit, serving as a vital force for the team." ujar Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Di kubu lawan, Suwon Samsung bertekad memutus tren negatif setelah gagal meraih kemenangan pada dua laga terakhir mereka akibat kesulitan membongkar pertahanan rapat.
"Although Suwon has not won in their last two matches, they are a strong team with good performance and championship aspirations, so they will be a difficult opponent." kata Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Tuan rumah memanfaatkan jeda kompetisi pekan lalu untuk memulihkan kebugaran skuad, meski harus kehilangan striker utama Kim Ji-hyun yang absen lama akibat operasi lutut serta mengistirahatkan Hong Jung-ho.
"Cheonan has prepared thoroughly for a week to unite as a team rather than individuals and face them organizationally. We aim to accumulate as many points as possible in the remaining three matches before the World Cup break to narrow the gap with mid-to-upper tier teams and enter the break on a high note." ujar Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Pelatih kepala Suwon Samsung, Lee Jeong-hyo, menegaskan bahwa fokus utama tim saat ini adalah memperbaiki efisiensi penyelesaian akhir dan kualitas operan di area sepertiga akhir lapangan.
"We referenced the defensive strategies of other teams that faced Suwon. For Cheonan, following that direction will be the best option in defense." kata Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Untuk menyiasati absennya beberapa pilar, Suwon memasukkan nama baru seperti Yeom Min-joon dan Yoon Geun-young ke dalam daftar susunan pemain pertandingan.
"In attack, we tried to introduce some changes to the attacking line while not disrupting defensive balance, aiming for a different style. To manage stamina, we will bring on game changers Lee Jun-ho and Sarzani in the second half to find a breakthrough." ujar Park Jin-seop, Manajer Cheonan City FC.
Pertandingan pekan ke-13 ini menjadi momen krusial bagi Suwon Samsung untuk terus menempel ketat posisi Busan IPark dan Seoul E-Land di papan atas klasemen sementara.
"There was no stress about the results. Rather than hoping other teams perform poorly, we just need to focus on doing well ourselves. Realistically, I don't think there is any team in the K League 2 that we can completely dominate and beat. So, we just need to defend well and play what we can do." kata Lee Jeong-hyo, Pelatih Kepala Suwon Samsung.
Guna mengatasi problem mencetaknya gol, jajaran staf kepelatihan terus mengasah skema operan pendek serta umpan silang akurat selama sesi latihan klub.
"The proverb 'Don't let the fear of maggots prevent you from making soy sauce' came to mind. We decided to focus more on the process rather than criticism or unfavorable results. Currently, we are struggling to score goals, so we have been continuously training with the players on how to score." ujar Lee Jeong-hyo, Pelatih Kepala Suwon Samsung.
Kembalinya Song Ju-hoon ke lini belakang diharapkan bisa menutupi kekosongan posisi yang ditinggalkan oleh sejumlah pemain bertahan senior lainnya.
"Hong Jung-ho is resting for player protection." kata Lee Jeong-hyo, Pelatih Kepala Suwon Samsung.
Klub juga mengonfirmasi bahwa proses pemulihan cedera lini serang yang menimpa Park Ji-won, Fesin, dan Bruno Silva masih dipantau secara ketat oleh tim medis.
"It is very painful that Hong Jung-ho is absent, but Song Ju-hoon will step in and fill the void well. Currently, Kim Ji-hyun, Park Ji-won, Fesin, and Bruno Silva are injured. Kim Ji-hyun's recovery will likely take a long time. There are many injuries on the offensive side, which is concerning, but rather than worrying before even trying, we will just try. Thanks to the injured players, other players are getting opportunities, and we will manage well." ujar Lee Jeong-hyo, Pelatih Kepala Suwon Samsung.
Laga melawan Cheonan City FC menjadi ujian berat bagi strategi menyerang Suwon Samsung dalam membongkar barisan pertahanan rendah yang menjadi ciri khas tim tamu.
"Teams that face Suwon prepare to score through counterattacks. Although Iluchenko has not scored recently, that is not a player's problem but a team problem. It is because high-quality passes, such as short passes or final crosses, have not been delivered. Going forward, rather than chasing results, we will take a long-term view and focus on the process. With new roster additions Yeom Min-joon and Yoon Geun-young, and returning player Lee Sang-min showing good form in training, we will find a way." kata Lee Jeong-hyo, Pelatih Kepala Suwon Samsung.
