FC Seoul manager optimistic as Jesse Lingard returns from injury

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard returned from injury in a match against Daegu FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Sunday after being sidelined for two months, but his side still suffered a 2-1 loss.

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard, left, dribbles the ball during a K League 1 match against Daegu FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Sunday. [NEWS1]

FC Seoul midfielder Jesse Lingard returned from injury in a match against Daegu FC at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Sunday after being sidelined for two months, but his side still suffered a 2-1 loss.

Lingard started for the first time for FC Seoul, playing as one of two forwards in a 4-4-2 formation until he was substituted off in the 63rd minute for Aleksandar Palocevic.

FC Seoul struggled throughout the match, however, giving the ball away easily and giving up multiple shots on target.

Lingard failed to make much of an impact, with the rest of the squad failing to dominate the game.

The capital side conceded the opening goal in the 56th minute through a Choi Jun own goal.

Daegu winger Park Yong-hui stretched that lead in the 69th minute after jumping on a ball that goalkeeper Baek Jong-bum failed to clear.

A goal by Stanislav Iljutcenko in stoppage time made it 2-1, but that was it for FC Seoul.

Despite the loss, FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong praised Lingard’s performance.

“He displayed good passes and countered pressure better than he did during practice games,” Kim said after the match. “I was really worried, but I allowed him more playing time as he played better than I had thought.

“I think we will see him penetrating deeper into the opponent’s territory as he gets fitter. He will be a good [attacking] option.”

Since making a surprising move to FC Seoul in February ahead of the 2024 campaign, the former Manchester United midfielder has yet to record an assist or goal in four games he played.

FC Seoul slipped down to eighth place on the 12-team table with Sunday’s loss.

Up at the top of the table, the Pohang Steelers maintained the frontrunner position despite a 1-0 loss to Suwon FC on Sunday.

Suwon FC's Jeong Seung-won, front, celebrates scoring a goal during a K League 1 match against the Pohang Steelers at Suwon Sports Complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi in a photo shared on Suwon's official Instagram account on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Steelers are tied on 25 points with second-place Gimcheon Sangmu, but edge the military club out by goal difference — the third deciding factor after points and goals scored.

Gimcheon beat Jeju United 1-0 on Saturday, with Incheon beating Daejeon Hana Citizen by the same margin.

Elsewhere, defending champions Ulsan HD suffered a 1-0 loss against Gangwon FC on Sunday. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat Gwangju FC 3-0 and jumped to 11th place, escaping the bottom of the table.

The K League will continue this week with Jeonbuk facing Gimcheon at home on May 25. Reigning champions Ulsan will take on Daejeon in Ulsan, followed by a clash between Incheon and Gwangju in Incheon — with a subdued home fan presence — and a match between the Steelers and FC Seoul in Pohang, North Gyeongsang.

Daegu FC will play Gangwon at home the next day. The game between Jeju and Suwon in Jeju will wrap up the league action for the week.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]