"Kibongyong Scholarship Foundation student" Hong Seong-min (19) made his debut alongside Kibongyong (36, currently Pohang).
Pohang Steelers led the game until the first half with a 2-0 advantage, scoring first with Hong Yoon-sang's goal at the 31st minute and an additional goal by Lee Ho-jae at the 44th minute. Kibongyong contributed to the attack in midfield as a starter, fulfilling his debut.
In the second half, the team's defensive concentration faltered. In the 19th minute of the second half, they allowed a goal from Lee Seung-woo, and in the 35th minute, they conceded an equalizer to Thiago. Finally, during stoppage time in the second half, an own goal by Lee Ho-jae led to losing points.
Pohang had a perfect flow until the first half in this match, but they collapsed in the second half due to diminishing stamina and a lack of defensive focus. Kibongyong was substituted in the 31st minute of the second half, finishing his return match but could not witness the team's victory.
On this day, Kibongyong was immediately included in the starting lineup. Having joined Pohang Steelers after leaving FC Seoul on the 3rd, Kibongyong was truly a "superstar." Fans flocked as soon as the team bus arrived, and all 14,275 seats were sold out for the match against Jeonbuk. Before kick-off, a video introducing the starting players played. The stands were packed with fans who cheered each player’s name as they were introduced. When Kibongyong's name was called, the Steel Yard erupted in cheers. Many fans shouted "Kibongyong! Kibongyong!" expressing their excitement.
While the Steel Yard was heated up for "Kibongyong's Pohang debut," another player also made his debut. That was Hong Seong-min, born in 2006, the goalkeeper.
Hong Seong-min is a "rookie" with a special connection to Kibongyong. He is a graduate of the Kibongyong Scholarship Foundation. Before the game, Pohang coach Park Tae-ha noted, "This is his first year since joining. After watching him for a while, I believe he has great potential. He’s bold. When he gets the ball, his consolidation is quite efficient, and I thought it was a significant risk, but I've been thinking that it’s something we need to explore eventually."
Coach Park said, "Against a strong team like Jeonbuk, with Kibongyong joining, I thought this would be a good opportunity to gauge the player's capabilities. I believe it’s a chance for both the team and the player to take a step forward."
The heated debut game ended with a disappointing 2-3 loss. After the match, Hong Seong-min remarked, "We couldn't win, but I think it wasn't bad overall."
He stated, "The coach informed me two weeks ago that I would start, so I wasn't very nervous. However, I began to feel nervous once I arrived at the stadium. Our coach, along with (Hwang) In-jae and our kit manager, tried to ease my nerves with a lot of jokes. I think I did quite well."
On that day, Hong Seong-min marked the start of Pohang's attack with a good kick. He showcased his talent as a goalkeeper by recording a total of five saves.
Hong Seong-min said, "The opponent was the 1st ranked team. It’s a strong attacking team. I thought to play comfortably, as I have played a few times on international stages, and remembered to 'not try too hard, but just have fun.'"
Despite that, he expressed disappointment, saying, "It was a good situation, we were winning. I think I could have stopped the last goal if I had reacted, but I lost my concentration for a moment. I wasn't thinking about anything, just felt empty."
After going through his first professional debut, Hong Seong-min mentioned, "The pace seems to be 2-3 times faster compared to high school, the U-20 national team, and the U-17 national team. It seems like what we practiced during training didn’t work out well."
Did 'senior' Kibongyong have any special words for him? Hong Seong-min replied, "I was a student at the Kibongyong Scholarship Foundation. This is my debut and it’s also Kibongyong's debut. He represents our foundation, so I was amazed that we debuted together. He told me to have fun and after the game, he congratulated me on my debut, saying, 'Good job.'"
'대선배' 기성용이 따로 해준 이야기는 있었을까. 홍성민은 "저는 기성용 장학재단 학생이었다. 저도 데뷔전이고, 성용이 형도 데뷔전이었다. 저희 재단 대표시기도 하다. 함께 데뷔했다는 것이 신기했다. 즐겁게 하라고 이야기 해주셨고 경기 끝나고는 '데뷔 축하한다. 수고했다'고 말하셨다"라고 전했다.
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