Incheon coach: 'Cong Phuong is a bright spot'

"Cong Phuong was the highlight and the best player in Incheon's game," coach Andersen said after the loss to Deagu. "I let Cong Phuong play as an attacking midfielder alongside striker Stefan Mugosa, not as a playmaking midfielder. But he often had to drop deep to receive the ball and move forward. He fought for the team and was always energetic."

In his first start in the K-League, Cong Phuong played the full 90 minutes. He created two scoring chances but his teammates failed to capitalize. The Vietnamese player's performance shows that he has many opportunities to continue playing as a starter.

Cong Phuong was a rare bright spot for Incheon, in a match where they played poorly. But Mr. Andersen said that Incheon did not have the strongest squad.

Andersen believes that Incheon lost because their opponents were stronger. He also did not want Cong Phuong to have to retreat too deep to get the ball.

"We knew how strong Daegu were, and they exploited our weaknesses well, especially in the first half. Incheon's problem was that we lacked many key players, while the right wing often had problems defending. Incheon played better in the second half, but the attack lacked cohesion and did not create many dangerous chances. We are still waiting for the key players to return, and the season is still long," he said.

In round six of the K-League on April 6, Cong Phuong and Incheon will be guests at Jeonbuk Motors Stadium.