Can he replicate his rookie impact?
Jeonbuk Hyundai’s Brazilian striker Gustavo joined the club in the summer of 2020, his rookie season, and scored five goals and two assists in 14 games in the second half of the season to help the team win the title. In 2021메이저놀이터, he continued his stellar play with 15 goals and five assists in 34 games. He was the clear star of the team’s title run.
Gustavo’s rise to prominence began to slow down last season. He failed to reach double-digit points with eight goals and four assists. Without their star striker, Jeonbuk failed to lift the trophy. This year, he was even worse. He scored just one goal in 10 K League 1 games. He failed to fulfill the role of a foreign striker who was supposed to be the team’s top scorer. The team’s performance declined along with it.
Gustavo is a hardworking and diligent striker. He can be on the front line and drop back to the defense in an instant, and his dedication is unparalleled. In 2020-2021, he was a fan favorite because he scored and assisted on top of his usual high volume. Even when he wasn’t scoring, Gustavo’s dedication and defensive involvement was applauded. However, a striker who can’t score goals is bound to be a ‘Gyeryuk’.
Provided by | Jeonbuk Hyundai
Provided by | Jeonbuk Hyundai
After a down year, Gustavo scored four goals on his own to lead Jeonbuk to a 5-2 victory in the FA Cup Round of 16 against Paju Min Football Club at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on April 24. Jeonbuk was unable to finish the game in regulation time, but Gustavo’s performance propelled them into the quarterfinals.
It’s encouraging to see Gustavo score four goals in a single game, even if it was against a team from K3, the third division. If Gustavo can regain his goal-scoring touch, Jeonbuk can take their recent form to the next level. Jeonbuk has two wins and two draws in four K League 1 matches since Kim Doo-hyun took over as head coach. They have overcome an early slump and are on the upswing. The team’s play in the midfield has been revitalized, and if Gustavo can increase his goalscoring output, Jeonbuk’s “Dakgong” will get a boost.
Even Cho Kyu-sung has returned from injury. One of Gustavo or Jo Gyu-sung must come alive for Jeonbuk to sustain their current good form for a long time.
In Gustavo’s case, he’s shown flashes of brilliance in years one and two, so he could be even better if he finds his confidence. An FA Cup run could be a butterfly effect for Gustavo, Jeonbuk, and the entirety of K League 1.