Lee Myung-ju excluded from the season's first lineup; Coach Yoon Jeong-hwan: "Not a serious injury" [Incheon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

K League 1 club Incheon United will play its first match of the season without Lee Myung-ju.

Incheon is set to face FC Anyang at 7:30 p.m. on the 12th at Incheon Football Stadium in the 17th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026.

On this day, Incheon will deploy a 4-4-2 formation with Lee Chung-yong and Ferri as the striking duo, while Jerso, Kim Young-hwan, Seo Jae-min, and Lee Dong-rin form the midfield line. The defensive line consists of Lee Ju-yong, Juan Ibieta, Kim Geon-hee, and Kim Myung-soon, with Kim Dong-heon guarding the goal.

Lee Myung-ju, who has been a key figure in Incheon's midfield alongside Seo Jae-min, will rest without being included in the substitute list for this match. This marks his first absence of the season after starting 13 matches and appearing as a substitute in three others.

Speaking to reporters before the match, Coach Yoon Jeong-hwan explained, "Lee Myung-ju's condition is not quite good," but added, "It is not a serious injury. We decided it would be better to skip this one, so he was excluded from the lineup."

Instead, Kim Young-hwan, who received the starting opportunity, was acquired by Incheon from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors during the summer transfer window. This match marks both his debut for Incheon and his K League 1 debut. Coach Yoon expressed confidence, stating, "We have trained together for quite some time. I believe he definitely possesses the technical skills and tactical understanding required."

After suffering a painful 0-1 defeat against FC Seoul in the previous match, Coach Yoon added, "While preparing for the Anyang game, we discussed tactical adjustments and areas that did not go well. We also focused on training and discussing aspects such as dangerous crosses."

In response, Yoo Byung-hoon, head coach of Anyang, said, "The match against Pohang Steelers (2-3 loss) had areas for improvement not only in the result but also within the game itself. It was crucial to know how to utilize our numerical advantage, and since that aspect was lacking, we focused on improving it."

He continued, "I believed we must definitely improve our concentration in conceding goals. We communicated this through meetings with the players. Rather than dragging things out, we quickly addressed the issues and prepared by communicating with the players to ensure those shortcomings are not repeated."

Regarding Knezevic, who made his first appearance on the substitute list today, Yoo explained, "He is now in the process of getting in sync with the team. We hope he can fulfill a defensive role in midfield. In attack, we are asking him to move between the second and first lines and actively participate in attacks to confuse the opposing defense."

Coach Yoo Byung-hoon further stated, "For the Incheon match, our tactical focus was on holding space when needed and applying pressure when required, while ensuring that gaps do not open up between players. Whether pressing aggressively or maintaining a compact shape, we prepared to deny the opponent any space."

On this day, Anyang will field Elcano as the central striker with Chae Hyun-woo and Choi Geon-joo on both flanks. In midfield, Choi Gyu-hyun, Kim Jung-hyun, and Mateus will coordinate their play. The defensive line consists of Kim Jae-hyun, Kwon Kyung-won, Lee Chang-yong, and Lee Tae-hee, with Kim Jeong-hoon guarding the goal.

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*This content was translated by AI.