Hai Phong FC will face Incheon United in the 2023/2024 AFC Champions League play-off match. The winner will qualify for Asia's top club competition. If Hai Phong lose, they will be relegated to the 2023/2024 AFC Cup.
Incheon United is not a strange name to Vietnamese football fans. Luong Xuan Truong and Nguyen Cong Phuong used to play for the Korean team, but both players failed to make a professional mark.
Incheon United is not a strong team in Korea. Their best achievement was runner-up in the K-League in 2005 and runner-up in the FA Cup in 2015. In the past 10 years, Incheon United has mostly been concerned with staying in the league. Last season, they unexpectedly entered the championship race after the first stage and finished the season in 4th place. This season, they are in 6th place and have 6 more rounds to maintain their position in the top half of the rankings.
Incheon United is a difficult challenge for Hai Phong Club.
Incheon United's domestic squad is not very impressive. They have two players who used to play for the Korean national team, Lee Myung-joo and Oh Ban-suk, but both are on the other side of their careers. Striker Cheon Seong-hoon - a member of the Korean U23 team, is a notable name in the Hai Phong defense. He is leading the team's scoring list with 6 goals.
Incheon United's strength lies in its foreign players. Mpoku, Gerso and Hernandes are the three players who shoulder the team's goal-scoring responsibilities along with Cheon Seong-hoon. In addition, veteran striker Stefan Mugosa is formidable. Last year, he was Incheon United's top scorer with 14 goals.
Incheon United is rated higher than Hai Phong FC. After all, they are a team playing in the top tournament in Asia. Meanwhile, Hai Phong FC has declined significantly compared to last season. This season, Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's team is ranked 5th and has no chance of competing for the top 3.
But that is an opportunity for Hai Phong to focus all their efforts on the AFC Champions League front. Besides, they have 3 more days off than their opponents. Fans have reason to expect a surprise from the port city team.
Expected lineup Incheon United vs Hai Phong Club
Incheon: Lee Tea Hee, YS Kim, Dong Min Kim, Delbridge, Kim Yun Yub, Myeong Ju, J.Mun, Kim Do Heok, K.Min, Mougosa, Gerso
Hai Phong Club: Dinh Trieu, Van Toi, Meurs, Trung Hieu, Viet Hung, Hoang Nam, Mpande, Bicou, Huu Son, Hai Huy, Yuri
Prediction: Incheon United 2-1 Hai Phong Club
Van Hai
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