They literally played for the coach.

Gwangju FC, without coach Lee Jeong-hyo, secured a 1-0 victory against Jeju United on June 6 at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium during the 7th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2025.

On that day, Gwangju was without the team's alpha and omega, coach Lee Jeong-hyo. He was unable to sit on the bench for the Jeju match because he was sent off in the previous game against Daejeon Hana Citizen (1-1 draw) for throwing a water bottle onto the field. This decision also led to controversy as many felt it was too harsh of a penalty.

The situation at the time was as follows. In the 48th minute of the second half against Daejeon, extra time occurred. Referee Song Min-seok approached the Gwangju bench and issued a direct red card to coach Lee Jeong-hyo. After listening to the assistant referee's explanation, the main referee later produced the red card. The broadcast did not provide a clear reason for the decision, causing frustration among fans.

Later, the reason was revealed. Footage showed coach Lee Jeong-hyo slamming a water bottle toward the ground and kicking it toward the bench. After the match, coach Lee Jeong-hyo explained, "I got upset and threw the water bottle to the ground and kicked it. I thought I was a bit excessive. But I was also surprised by the direct red card."

He acknowledged the wrongdoing but argued that it did not warrant a direct red card. Moreover, the referee did not clearly explain the reason for the dismissal to the coach at the time. Gwangju FC also later did not receive a clear explanation from the referee regarding the red card. If the referee had justly described coach Lee Jeong-hyo's actions as excessive, he could have simply given a dismissal.

In fact, looking at the KFA match regulations, there is a provision allowing for a red card for 'intentionally throwing or kicking objects onto the pitch.' Furthermore, it states that 'for every act of throwing an object, the referee takes appropriate disciplinary action. If excessive force is used, the offender is subject to dismissal for violent conduct.'

Based on the issuance of the red card, referee Song Min-seok determined that coach Lee Jeong-hyo's actions warranted dismissal. If his decision was correct and justified, he should have provided an explanation; however, the refereeing team remained silent. While it is right to respect the referees, they are not above players and coaches, making their actions incomprehensible.

Despite this unjust ruling, coach Lee Jeong-hyo's team exhibited a strong performance. Gwangju, resilient throughout the match, scored the decisive goal in the 44th minute of the second half when Hayes struck during a chaotic situation. In a sense, it can be seen as overcoming an unfair ruling to win for Lee Jeong-hyo.

Meanwhile, at the same time, at Anyang Sports Complex, FC Anyang defeated Gangwon FC 2-0 with goals from Kyu-hyun Choi and Thomas. This was FC Anyang's first K League 1 home victory in club history, while Gangwon found themselves in a challenging situation again, experiencing a third consecutive defeat under coach Yoon Jung-hwan.

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