Doosan, heading for its 10th consecutive victory, won the first round of the Shinhan SOL Pay 24-25 Handball H League Men’s Division. Doosan’s ace Kim Yeon-bin, supported by veterans Chung Eui-kyung and Kang Jeon-gu, is at the center.
On the 26th, in the last game of the first round, they defeated their rival SK Hawks, who had won 4 games in a row, 24-20, moving away with a 2-point lead and taking sole first place.
On this day, Doosan struggled as they were blocked by the opposing goalkeeper’s 20 saves, but Kim Yeon-bin broke through the impenetrable defense and scored 7 goals, putting an end to their first-round victory. On this day, Kim Yeon-bin led the team’s attack in every crisis situation and played the role of a reliable solver, contributing greatly to Doosan’s victory.
news/cms/202411/28/news-p.v1.20241128.b718fb2437a7427fb790aff2d6dbfffd_R.jpg" data-width="600" data-height="400"/> Enlarged photo Doosan Kim Yeon-bin, photo provided by Korea Handball Federation
Kim Yeon-bin, who was selected as MVP for two consecutive games, said, “Before the start of the league, I felt that the team was lacking a lot and seemed unprepared.” He added, “All the players, led by (Jeong) Eui-kyung and (Kang) Jeon-gu, are improving their performance.” “As we improved each game, we were able to achieve 5 consecutive wins,” he said.
Kim Yeon-bin said that losing to the SK Hawks was a relief, adding that she prepared thoroughly with the idea of taking revenge for the loss at the National Sports Festival.
He said, “During the National Sports Festival, there was a lack of data because foreign players did not participate,” and “So, through video analysis, we developed a defensive strategy to focus on opposing mercenaries.”
Not only that, but they shook up the SK Hawks with unexpected tactics. Instead of Chung Eui-kyung, who usually plays the role of center back, Kim Yeon-bin played center back and Chung Eui-kyung played left back, adding tactical flexibility.
He said, “The coach prepared tactics that the opponent could not predict,” and “I am not as good as Ui-kyung, but I tried to reduce the skill gap as much as possible,” and said that he did his best in the role given to him.
There aren’t many games that are one-sided. Doosan also won, but at one point in the second half, they trailed by one goal, 16-15. At this time, Kim Yeon-bin scored consecutive goals to widen the gap again and avoid crisis.
Kim Yeon-bin recalled the situation and explained, “The players communicated with each other to minimize sending off and played stably, and in the attack, they were confident until the end.” He added, “Ui-kyung and Jeon Jeon were good at passing and controlling, so I was able to finish the match.”
Doosan, who finished the first round with all wins, is now preparing for the second round. Kim Yeon-bin said, “My teammates worked really hard to win the first round,” and expressed confidence, “If we don’t get complacent and watch out for injuries, we will be able to achieve good results in the future.”
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