Since returning to Incheon United, Stefan Mugosa has been in stellar form, showing off his versatility in attack. His performance has lifted Incheon and the rest of the team.토스카지노
Incheon defeated Hai Phong FC 3-1 in extra time in the first leg of their 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) playoffs at the Incheon Football Stadium on April 22.
Incheon, which finished fourth in the K League One last season, is making its first appearance in the ACL in franchise history after Jeonbuk Hyundai won the FA Cup to secure a spot in the group stage of the competition.
The ACL group draw will be held at AFC Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 24 at 5 p.m., and Incheon will then begin the group stage of the competition in September.
Incheon got off to a rocky start in the match, conceding a goal to Yuri Mamute in the sixth minute of the first half, but equalized in the 17th minute when Chun Sung-hoon headed home a cross from Mugosa. The two teams then went into overtime, where Hernandez scored in the 11th minute and Gerso in the second half of stoppage time to give Hai Phong a 3-1 victory.
While Chun scored the equalizer, Hernandez scored the game-winner, and Gerso scored the winner to send the fans into a frenzy, there was another player who stole the show.
Mugosa didn’t get on the scoresheet against Hai Phong with one assist, but he proved his worth in a variety of roles in the attack. Mugosa was always at the start of Incheon’s scoring with his excellent passing and linking skills in attack, including a cross to Chun Sung-hoon and a penetrating pass to Gerso that led to the game-winning goal. He also kept the Hai Phong defense on their toes with his strong shooting and concentration on corner kicks.
In addition to his offensive role, Mugosa also dropped into the defensive zone to apply pressure, receiving long passes from the defense and linking up in the middle of the field, creating much of Incheon’s attacking and buildup work.
Mugosa’s aggression, movement, and passing are reminiscent of Harry Kane’s at Tottenham. Kane was a goalscorer in his early years at Tottenham, but after the departure of Christian Eriksen in the winter transfer window during the 2019/20 season, he began to play more of a link-up and attacking role. In 2022/23, he scored 30 goals in the league alone, but his presence in the attacking third was even more impressive.
Like Kane, Mugosha showed strengths in link-up play in addition to scoring goals during his time with Incheon before leaving for Vissel Kobe, but since returning to Incheon, those strengths have become even more pronounced and his impact in the attack has become even greater.
Mugosha’s tremendous performance has lifted Incheon and the rest of the squad.
Incheon has two wins, one draw, and one loss in the four games Mugosa has started, and the only loss, against Jeonbuk, was the first game Mugosa started, so the team has been performing well in every game.
The scoring has also rebounded. Incheon, which had averaged 1.6 goals in the five games prior to Mugosa’s departure, averaged 2.0 goals in the four games between Jeonbuk and Hai Phong, consistently scoring close to two goals in each game. In the same period, Mugosa also contributed one goal and two assists.
Players who partner with Mugosha in the attacking third have also improved. In particular, Mugosa’s partnership with Gerso, who has been so outstanding that he could be considered the Son Heung-min of Incheon if Kane were the Kane of the world, has stood out.
In the three games immediately prior to joining Mugosa, Jerso had already raised his game with one goal and three assists against FC Seoul, Daejeon Hana Citizens, and Ulsan Hyundai. His speed and ability to break through opposing defenses and finish or set up teammates made him the spearhead of Incheon’s attack.
Mugosa’s arrival gave Gerso wings. Mugosa’s presence up front with his scoring and linking abilities often caused opposing defenses to focus on him, and Jerso was able to take advantage of this by playing two-on-two with Mugosa and rushing into spaces that the defense missed.
In the last match against Daegu FC, the two players capitalized on this move, finishing with one goal and one assist apiece. Gerso’s offensive prowess has been evident in the four games he has played since joining Mugosa, with four goals and two assists.
After the last match against Daegu FC, head coach Cho Sung-hwan commented on Mugosa and Jerso’s performance, saying, “They played what they do best. If it wasn’t for Jerso’s penetrating move when Mugosa fell and turned around, the timing wouldn’t have been good. We wouldn’t have gotten those chances, but I think they showed what they’re good at,” he said, adding that Mugosa and Jerso’s individual strengths worked well together to create more synergy.
Head coach Judin Nghiem Haiphong, who faced the Incheon attack in the ACL Playoffs, also commented on the chemistry and impact of the two players after the game: “Before facing Incheon, we analyzed the games on August 13 and August 18 and thought we knew their characteristics. But during the match, I think Mugosa and Jerso had a great impact on the team,” he said, acknowledging the unstoppable performance of the two players.
In addition to Jerso, Hernandez, Kim Bo-seop, and other flankers who can come on as substitutes will likely perform better because of Mugosa’s influence on the game.
With Mugosa’s return, Incheon fans will be looking forward to the rest of the season as the team shows promise in the ACL, league, and FA Cup.
