Jeju United’s “summer jinx” continued this season. In order to advance to the Asian Champions League (ACL), a miraculous rebound is urgently needed in the remaining four consecutive games.

Jeju, which had two draws and three losses in the first five games of the league, has caused a “storm” since the match against Ulsan in the 5R. Starting with the match against Gangwon in 6R, the team’s ranking, which remained in the relegation zone, soared to second place with eight wins, one draw and one loss in 10 games. During this period, he defeated Gwangju, Daejeon, Pohang, Incheon, and Suwon FC one after another, setting a tie record for the most consecutive wins in the club.

However, as summer began, Jeju also began to lose its strength. On June 3, the team drew against Gangwon, the lowest in the league, and failed to win in 10 games. Although he managed to win the match against Suwon FC, he recorded one win, five draws and eight losses between June and August. The team’s ranking also fell vertically from second to ninth.

Jeju has traditionally been weak in summer. The “summer jinx,” which falls in the summer after fighting for the lead until the beginning and middle of the season, has hampered Jeju every year. According to the “July and August Performance Comparison in K League 1 History” released by the Korea Professional Football Federation on the 1st of last month, Jeju’s performance in July and August fell 6.8% points compared to before July. Before July and August, Jeju’s winning rate was 52.4% (56 wins, 42 draws, and 49 losses), but the winning rate in July and August was 45.6% (26 wins, 30 draws, and 34 losses). This is the biggest drop among K-League teams.

Jeju’s summer jinx is largely due to the accumulation of fatigue due to the long travel distance. The away game takes a long distance and a long time, and it takes an hour to travel from Seogwipo Club House to Jeju Airport to catch a plane. In addition, even if you arrive at airports in Gimpo, Gwangju, and Cheongju, it takes a lot of time to get to the stadium where the away games are held.굿모닝토토

Jeju’s weather, which is much more humid than inland, also plays a role. It is even said that players who play in Jeju in the middle of summer feel like they are playing soccer in a sauna. The federation also explained about Jeju, which is weak in summer, that “the influence of the weather and the fatigue of the expedition seem to be increasing.”

However, as the long summer ends, Jeju is aiming for a dramatic rebound. During the two-week A-match break, he focused on boosting the individual conditions of the players who were tired of their tight schedules and strengthening their organizational skills through customized training and practice games. Jeju, which played until the 29R, is ranked ninth among 12 K League 1 teams with 9 wins, 8 draws and 12 losses (35 points), but it is not impossible to reverse.

K League 1 divides the top six teams into Group A and the bottom six into Group B based on the results of the game from 1 to 33R (regular round). Each group will play five more games from 34 to 38R (final round), with the winner in Group A and the relegation team in Group B.

In order to advance to the ACL, Jeju’s goal, they must advance to the Final A group. Daegu (41 points), the 6th place in the final A Maginot Line, is 6 points apart. Jeju, which has four games left until the end of the regular round, will face Seoul (4th), Gwangju (3rd), and Daejeon (8th) starting with Incheon (7th) on the 16th.

All four teams are ranked higher than Jeju, so it is not expected to be an easy game. However, the difference in points is not large, so the opportunity to rise in the rankings is always open depending on the results of each game. This season, Jeju has won points in all four teams and is expected to have positive results as it has won against Incheon, Gwangju and Daejeon.

The atmosphere in Jeju is not bad at the moment. In the match against Jeonbuk (5th place) on the 3rd, he scored one point with his impressive performance. Koo Ja-cheol, who has been out for more than three months due to injury, has returned to the mound as a substitute, and Seo Jin-soo, who led Jeju’s sensation early in the season, has also made a noticeable move in the recent game.

Koo Ja-cheol, the team’s veteran and leader, said, “It’s a tough situation, but we have to keep going through it. I will do my best with the determination that every game is the final. During the break, all the members of Jeju came together,” he said.

Striker Seo Jin-soo also said, “The atmosphere is good as we are united,” adding, “We will definitely win the rest of the games with the belief that we will advance to the Final A.”