Incheon United head coach Cho Sung-hwan has some happy thoughts.
Incheon has been on a roll lately. They defeated Ulsan Hyundai and Daejeon Hana Citizen on the 12th and 16th, respectively, for their first back-to-back wins of the season. It was their first win in 323 days since last August against Jeonbuk (3-1).
A springboard to mid-table. Incheon is unbeaten in four games in July. With two wins and two draws, they have accumulated 30 points. In ninth place (25 goals), they are just above the relegation zone, but tied on points with seventh-place Daejeon (34) and eighth-place Jeju United (31). They’re also within striking distance of sixth-place Gwangju FC (31 points) and fifth-place Daegu FC (33 points).
There’s even a factor that could give them a little more momentum. It’s Mugosa. After leaving for Vissel Kobe in Japan’s J-League last summer, he returned to Incheon after nearly a year away. He first donned the Incheon jersey in 2018 and has played in 129 games over five seasons, scoring 68 goals and providing 10 assists. Before leaving for Japan, he scored a whopping 14 goals in 18 appearances. Aside from Chun Sung-hoon, Incheon had a thirst for strikers, which makes Mugosa’s arrival all the more welcome.
The problem is his game sense and fitness. It will take time for him to get up to speed. Mugosa has played very few games in Japan. In his first season, he only played five games. Before returning to Incheon this season, he made two “substitute appearances”. No offensive points. On top of that, he suffered a minor knee injury with the national team during the A-Match in June. The pain hasn’t gone away yet.
He hasn’t joined the team training yet. She’s been working out privately to improve her condition. “It’s been a long time since I’ve played, so it’s going to take time for me to get back to full strength,” said Mugosa. I can’t promise an exact date for my return, but I will definitely come back with the expected performance.” 토토사이트
Once Mugosa returns, Cho’s worries begin. It’s about using foreign players. The club’s limit for foreigners is 5+1 (five nationality officials plus one from an AFC member state), but up to three can play in matches, excluding AFC players. With the exception of defender Delbridge, there will be competition between Gerso, Hernandez, Mpoku and Mugosa.
As the team is on the rise, so are the players. Gershaw and Hernandez have been on fire lately. Hernandez in particular has a goal and an assist in two consecutive games. Gerso also had a goal in Daejeon.
“It probably makes the coach’s head hurt,” said Hernandez, who came to Incheon last year as a replacement for Mugosa. Cho’s worries about when and how to use players are just beginning.
