Incheon United head coach Cho Sung-hwan apologized to the fans who attended the away match and admitted his shortcomings.
Incheon suffered a 1-3 defeat away to Suwon FC in the 16th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Suwon Sports Complex at 7 p.m. on Jan. 1.
The result leaves Incheon in seventh place with four wins, seven draws and five losses (19 points). It was the fourth loss in four games for Incheon, who were unbeaten with one win and two draws in three matches.
After the game, head coach Cho Sung-hwan said, “Today’s game was a series of failures, including the opponent’s attacking form, tactical response and mistakes. I feel a heavy responsibility as a coach for the defeat. I can’t say anything else about the game.”
On the decision to take Mpoku off early in the first half: “We lost the midfield battle. It was more important for us to control the team’s defense than to attack, which is Mpoku’s strength. I thought it was right to switch to a three-man midfield,” he explained.
“There was no benefit to rotation. Rather, our organizational balance was poor, and it didn’t go the way we wanted it to from the beginning.”
“We were outnumbered in the midfield. Their line was high, so we couldn’t put pressure on them properly. One by one things went wrong and there was a chain reaction,” he said.
Delbridge made a costly mistake in the final minutes of the game. Incheon, who had dominated the second half, conceded a goal just before the end due to a missed backpass by Delbridge. “It was a mistake that happened once in a while,” said coach Cho Sung-hwan, “I think the player himself knows better, so there’s nothing to say.”
Shin Shin-ho, who showed stability after coming on as a substitute in the second half, said, “I lost something and gained something. With Lee 바카라 Myung-joo out, Shin Shin-ho’s arrival will be a big boost for the next five matches, including the Korea Cup at the end of June.” ‘The fans came to the stadium today and raised their voices for the first time in a long time, and I’m sorry,’ he said.
Incheon will face Jeonbuk Hyundai and Pohang Steelers after the A-Match break. “It’s a tough schedule, not only for us, but for all the teams in the Korea Cup. We will try to overcome the upcoming schedule through proper rotation and player selection.”