Incheon United head coach Cho Sung-hwan lamented the potential long-term departure of key players despite the win.
Delbridge, Kim Do-hyuk and Mugosa scored in quick succession to give Incheon a 3-0 victory over Jeonbuk Hyundai in the 10th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at the Incheon Football Stadium on Monday.
The win lifted Incheon to fifth place (W3 D4 L3 D3 – 13 points) and secured their first win over Jeonbuk in seven official matches since August 2022.
Cho said at the post-match press conference, “We gave our fans a victory at home after a long time. I felt proud to see the fans enjoying themselves. I can’t take anything for granted. Lee Myung-joo was injured. We will not get carried away with the victory, but we will recover well and repay them with our performance and results in Gimcheon.”
“I had a doctor, but I think it’s a collarbone fracture,” Cho said of Lee Myung-joo’s injury status.
Kim Do-hyuk made a comeback and scored a goal. “He’s a good player if not for the injury. We won today, but I think we need to prepare for the upcoming schedule with a sense of urgency and alertness so that we don’t suffer. It should be a game of reflection for me and the coaching staff.”
When asked what was the driving force behind the victory, Cho said, “We had difficulties in defense, and when individual mistakes came out, the atmosphere tended to shift to Jeonbuk. We managed the crisis well and didn’t concede a goal, which is why we were looking for a turnaround in the second half. The bench responded well and I think we responded well by alternating between 3-4-3 and 3-5-2.”
When asked again to praise Kim Do-hyuk, Cho said that he was “weighed down by Lee Myung-joo’s injury,” and that he had asked the players not to get carried away with their poor performance until the last game.
Later, Cho said of Kim Do-hyuk, “It must have been hard for him after not being able to train in winter, but he made up for it with his goal and performance today. I think Kim Do-hyuk will be able to fill the 스포츠토토 void left by Lee Myung-joo and lead the team well in the remaining matches as captain. Congratulations to him. Kim Do-hyuk, Mugosa, and Mpoku are the ones who make the atmosphere in the stadium lively. I think the rest of the players are also in good spirits and we will show a good performance at home.”
“Our opponent Lee Jae-ik was sent off for accumulating cautions. Offensively, it came when they were controlling the game because Jerso was doing a great job. The strikers scored well. Even if I don’t mention it, I want the players who didn’t play well to play with confidence. If you don’t have confidence, you can’t play your best. I want them to play with an aggressive mindset.”
Coach Cho continued to feel sorry for Lee. He said, “Lee Myung-joo’s injury hurts more than winning. It could lead to a long-term injury. I know the rest of the players will do a good job, but it hurts. I would give my collarbone for him,” he said, expressing his sympathy.