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Will Bae Joon-ho become the first Korean to succeed in promotion to the English Premier League (EPL).
Stoke City, where Bae Joon-ho belongs, won 3-0 in the 17th round of the English Championship (second division) in the 2025-2026 season against Charlton Athletic at Bet365 Stadium in Stoke, England on the 26th (Korea time). With this victory, Stoke jumped to second place in the league.
It was Bae Jun-ho, who started as a central attacking midfielder in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Stoke showed the reason for this season's rise from the beginning of the game. Sorba Thomas caught the ball on the left in the third minute of the first half. Thomas looked at the penalty box and crossed. However, as Cross drew the shooting trajectory, it was sucked into the top corner of the net. It was a lucky first goal.
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Stoke, who gained momentum with the first goal, scored an additional goal in two minutes. The goalkeeper sent a kick to the front as Charlton stepped up the pressure. Stoke won the contest and got the ball to Thomas. Thomas pushed back to Million Manuf. Manuf scored an extra goal with a confident shot after beating the defender.
The third goal was also lucky. In the 34th minute of the first half, Bae Joon-ho drove the ball forward in a counterattack to Stoke. Bae Jun-ho handed the ball over to Thomas. Like the scene of the first goal, Thomas crossed into the penalty box. It was a relatively ordinary cross heading into the net, but the goalkeeper missed the trajectory, leading to a score. Stoke managed the second half leisurely, and as the game ended, Stoke scored three points.
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It's too early to say that he will be promoted to the EPL even before the middle of the season, but Stoke's gust this season is making expectations high. Stoke, who has been fighting in the relegation zone despite Bae Joon-ho's strong performance for the past two seasons, is suddenly ranked to challenge promotion this season.
Stoke is in second place ahead of goal difference, with Frank Lampard's Coventry City racing to the top of the table. Just below Stoke, there is not much gap between Middlesbrough (30 points), Ipswich Town (27 points), Preston North End (27 points) and Bristol City (26 points), but it is difficult to imagine the flow of Stoke being pushed out of the top six.
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If Stoke can maintain its current upward trend and keep second place, Stoke will be confirmed to be promoted to the EPL. Only in the top six who can advance to the promotion play-off will there be an opportunity to challenge for promotion even if they keep the ranking.
Bae Joon-ho is challenging Korea's first history. Of the 15 Korean Premier Leaguers who have played in the EPL so far, not one has been promoted from the championship and become a Premier Leaguer. All moved to the EPL club and made their league debut. If Bae Joon-ho leads Stoke by producing more offensive points, he could be the first Korean promoted Premier Leaguer.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
