'Incheon's Future' Seo Jae-min to Start Alongside Veteran Lee Chung-yong... Gangwon Deploys 'Shield Duo' Shin Min-ha and Lee Ki-hyeok [Incheon Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Incheon's Future' Seo Jae-min (23, Incheon United) will start alongside his reliable veteran teammates. In response, Gangwon FC has fielded a solid defensive shield.

Incheon and Gangwon will face off in the 11th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 at Incheon Football Stadium on the 2nd. Incheon, promoted to the top flight after winning the K League 2 title last year, sits in 6th place with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses (14 points), while Gangwon is in 7th place with 3 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses (13 points).

The home team Incheon has won two and drawn one of their last three matches, positioning themselves not just for survival but for a spot in the upper half of the table. A victory in this match would give them a three-game winning streak. One of the key drivers of their upward momentum is undoubtedly Seo Jae-min's performance. During his time with his former club Seoul E-Land, Seo made his mark by winning the K League 2 Young Player of the Year award in 2024. Last year, he was also named as a candidate for the K League 2 Best 11 midfielder position.

Now wearing Incheon's jersey this season, Seo continues to deliver outstanding performances on the K League 1 stage. He has recorded one goal and one assist in all 10 league matches so far, playing a central role in the team's midfield with a high pass completion rate (87.3%) and leading the team with 12 key passes.

Notably, he has topped the 'Round Best Runner' category, awarded to the player with the most distance covered in each round, on six occasions, demonstrating overwhelming physical endurance.

He appears to be in perfect sync with veterans such as Lee Chung-yong and Lee Myung-joo. While Lee Chung-yong and Lee Myung-joo lead the team with their experience, Seo Jae-min supports them with his exceptional work rate. In this match against Gangwon, Seo will start alongside Lee Chung-yong and Lee Myung-joo.

Incheon manager Yoon Jeong-hwan has named the following starting lineup: forwards Mugo Sa and Ferrier; midfielders Lee Dong-ryul, Lee Myung-joo, Seo Jae-min, and Lee Chung-yong; defenders Kim Myeong-soon, Park Kyung-seop, Juan Ibiza, and Lee Ju-yong; and goalkeeper Lee Tae-hee.

Gangwon's mood is also not bad. Although they lost their previous match against FC Seoul, they had recorded three wins and one draw prior to that. Their intention is to regain positive momentum with a victory over Incheon. Stopping Incheon's attack, which is anchored by Mugo Sa, is crucial. This season, Gangwon has conceded only nine goals, tying for the fewest in the league.

Gangwon manager Jeong Kyung-ho has set his starting lineup as follows: forwards Choi Byung-chan and Go Young-jun; midfielders Mo Jae-hyun, Lee Yu-hyun, Seo Min-woo, and Kim Dae-won; defenders Kim Do-hyun, Lee Ki-hyeok, Shin Min-ha, and Kang Jun-hyuk; and goalkeeper Park Cheong-hyo. Foreign defender Kang Tu-ji (Marco Tucci) is suspended for this match after receiving a two-game ban following an incident on the 21st. The roles of center-backs Lee Ki-hyeok and Shin Min-ha are particularly important.

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*This content was translated by AI.