Daejeon Citizen’s goalkeeper Choi Eun-sung scored in the AFC Champions League way back in 2002, becoming the first keeper to ever pull off that wild feat, and you’d better believe that kind of sheer grit is exactly what they’ll need for their return to the big stage. This time around, Daejeon Hana Citizen are locked and loaded for the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite, gearing up for their first-ever full home and away campaign in the competition proper. It’s a whole new ballgame, literally, compared to their last appearance.
Back On The Continental Stage, But For Real This Time
Their 2026-2027 schedule is no joke. They’re set to face Kyoto Sanga, Vissel Kobe, Beijing FC, and Kashima Antlers right at home. Then they’ll hit the road against Shanghai Port, Kashiwa Reysol, Johor Darul Ta’zim, and Gamba Osaka. What a gauntlet, right? This isn’t their first rodeo in continental football, but it *is* the Purples’ first go at the home and away format in the ACL proper. Their previous run, the 2002-2003 campaign, happened after they bagged the FA Cup in 2001. A lot has changed since then, including the team adding “Hana” to their name in 2019 thanks to a Hana Financial Group takeover. The goal was always clear with that move: ACL qualification. Plus, the competition itself is way different now. Back in 2002-2003, it was a lean 16-team setup, eight from the West and eight from the East, all played in a hub format in March 2003, like Bangkok for the East. Talk about a glow-up for the tournament itself!
The Wildest Qualification Run You’ve Ever Heard Of
Let’s rewind to that 2002-2003 run. Even as cup winners, Daejeon had to claw their way through two rounds of qualification. They kicked things off in the third round and absolutely obliterated Monte Carlo of Macao with an 8-1 aggregate score. That included a dominant 5-1 away win where they scored four times in the first 20 minutes, despite arriving just a day before the match. Oh, and yeah, that’s when goalkeeper Choi Eun-sung found the net, etching his name in ACL history. Next up, they faced Mohun Bagan of India, sealing another 8-1 aggregate victory with a 6-0 home win and a 2-1 away performance. That India trip sounds like a nightmare, though. They trekked to Kolkata, changing planes twice, and both Kim Eun-jung and Lee Kwan-woo got seriously ill battling the weather. Still, they pulled out a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Lee Chang-yup and Kong Oh-kyun. Seriously, that’s some serious fight.
Facing Down The Hard Truths Of 2003
Fast forward to the group stage in March 2003, and Daejeon were in Bangkok battling Shanghai Shenhua, BEC Tero Sasana, and Kashima Antlers in Group A. All three games crammed into five days under Bangkok’s scorching heat and humidity. Here’s the kicker: this wasn’t some cash-rich, consistently winning club. Outside of that FA Cup win, Daejeon had only snagged one win in their first 27 league games in 2002. Plus, players were reportedly three months behind on wages. Imagine going through all that, the insane travel, the sickness, the financial struggle, and still finding that kind of winning spirit.
What’s next for Daejeon Hana Citizen? They’re about to kick off their 2026-2027 ACL Elite campaign against some absolute giants. If they can channel that same underdog fire from 2002, when they were battling sickness and unpaid wages just to play, then Kyoto Sanga and the rest better watch out. It’s going to be a wild ride!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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