“Never give up.” That was the message ringing loud at the Gimcheon Sports Complex on September 14, as last place Daegu FC shocked second place Gimcheon Sangmu 2-1 in Round 29 of the 2025 Hana Bank K League 1.
What was thought to be a routine win for title-challenging Gimcheon turned into a statement night for Daegu — a team battling relegation, and suddenly finding belief. With this result, Daegu not only enjoyed their first win of the season away from home, but were also celebrating their first two-match winning streak, and reigniting hope that survival from relegation is possible.
Match Overview
Going into the match, the teams were positioned on either end of the K League 1 table.
- Gimcheon Sangmu occupied second place on the table with 46 points and were hoping to keep pace with Jeonbuk and remain in the title race.
- Daegu FC were sitting at the bottom with just 22 points and were fighting to avoid relegation.
- For Gimcheon, the match was an opportunity to keep momentum and distance themselves from the pack at the top of the table.
For Daegu, this was now an opportunity of life or death and a chance to show that their season wasn’t done yet.
Key Match Events
Both teams seemed wired for a frantic opening but then both seemed unable to break each other down. The first half was filled with tension and had a balanced feel with Gimcheon having all of the possession and Daegu looking to threaten with quick counter-attacks, but few half chances amounting to zero goals allowed the scoreboard to stay blank in the first half.
But the second half came to life in explosive fashion.
- 66’ Jang Seong-won scored Daegu’s first goal of the season when he broke the scoreless run and gave Daegu hope and momentum they did not expect.
- 87’ Kaio made it 2-0 with only a powerful header seconds from the end of the match and in consecutive matches, Gimcheon was going to be on it again.
- 90+4’ Lee Dong-gyeong scored a penalty for Gimcheon providing a light at the end of the tunnel for them, but not enough to dull Daegu’s famous victory.
Daegu saw it out until the end to secure a remarkable 2-1 away win against one of the league’s leading candidates.
Player Highlights
Daegu FC:
- Jang Seong-won – Scored his first goal of the season opening the scoring and put in a solid performance defensively. He was a difference maker at both ends of the field.
- Kaio – Continued his great form scoring with a good header. That is now 2 games in a row with a goal and he is becoming a good attacking threat for Daegu.
- Cesinha – The captain once again impacted the game, by providing the corner assist for Kaio’s goal and was often the driving force in Daegu’s attacking play.
Gimcheon Sangmu:
- Lee Dong-gyeong – Came on as a substitute late in the game and scored a penalty in stoppage time but unfortunately, could not spark any kind of comeback for the home team.
Post-Match Reactions & Context
This victory was more than just three points for Daegu FC.
- It was their first away win of the season and they had back-to-back wins for the first time in 2025.
- This also closes the gap to Jeju United (11th) and Suwon FC (10th), keeping alive the possibility of survival, although they still sit last on the table.
- Most notably, Daegu’s supporters returned, after boycotting the games previously, with the significant “Never Give Up” banner. After the game, the players took a group photo together with the banner, signifying a new understanding between the team and supporters
For Gimcheon Sangmu, it was a night of frustration.
- The loss followed their previous week loss to Daejeon Hana Citizen, so they now have two back-to-back defeats.
- The slip allowed league leaders Jeonbuk to extend their lead in the title race and increased pressure on Gimcheon to continue their pursuit.
League Table Impact
The outcome had a major impact at both ends of the K League 1 table.
- Gimcheon Sangmu are in 2nd place on 46 points, but after two defeats in a row, they now trail the leaders Jeonbuk (66 points) by more and more in the battle for the title. Gimcheon may still think they have a remote chance to at least pause that lead between now and then, and with only a few matches left, the pressure is at its highest.
- Daegu FC, although still 12th on 22 points, could finally come up for air. There is no longer any illusion of fighting for survival, but they can at least see that becoming a possibility again. They have four matches left in the regular season, then the relegation round, meaning they have nine total chances at relegation.
Looking Ahead
Neither side will be celebrating victory just yet.
- For Daegu FC, their next test is to build on their momentum as they take on an away fixture against Daejeon Hana Citizen on September 20. Confidence will be rising and with back-to-back wins, manager Kim Byung-soo’s squad will be looking for a third win in a row, and to show there is still hope for their survival.
- For Gimcheon Sangmu, it’s all about re-grouping quickly. With player rotations for their military service due starting in October, the team has only a short window to secure vital points. Their title challenge will depend if they can respond straightaway to back-to-back defeats.
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Conclusion
With a revived belief that has inflated their confidence with two consecutive wins, Daegu will look to continue their fight for survival, while Gimcheon needs to recover to keep hope alive for the title race.
