Cong Phuong could not save Incheon United

Thang Nguyen• March 16, 2019 17:35

The Vietnamese player was substituted in the second half but could not help the club escape a 0-2 loss to Sangju in the K-League on the afternoon of March 16.

After entering the field in the second round's extra time, Cong Phuong was given more opportunities today. He was sent in by coach Jorn Andersen to replace Park Se-jik in the 66th minute, when the home team Sangju Sangmu was leading 1-0. This was one of the first two personnel changes in this match. Joining the Vietnamese striker was Lee Jung-bin.

Cong Phuong was allowed to operate widely in Incheon's attack. He created a notable situation just four minutes after entering the field with a speedy dribble in the middle, then passed the ball to Heo Yong-joon to escape down the left corner. However, the shot from a tight angle by Incheon's No. 19 was not dangerous enough.

Cong Phuong (left) replaced Park Se-jik in the 66th minute.

Incheon's attack speed has been increased since Cong Phuong joined. Instead of feeding the ball to foreign striker Stefan Mugosa, the visitors had many short-range passes. However, that was not enough for them to score.

Incheon started the game well, despite being away to the top team Sangju. They played tit for tat and kept a clean sheet in the first 45 minutes. In the 53rd minute, Incheon's defense forgot Park Yong-ji in the left corner, allowing a player to score. Sangju's second goal came in the 82nd minute. Again from the left wing, the ball was passed into the 5m50 area for center-back Kim Min-woo to finish close to the goal.

The defeat on the afternoon of March 16 was Incheon's first defeat of the 2019 season. Cong Phuong's team has four points after three matches, and is temporarily ranked fifth on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Sangju has maintained its winning streak and remains at the top of the table with nine points.

Thang Nguyen