K-League: Improving Incheon Look to Make it Three In a Row

Sangju Sangmu vs Incheon United

Incheon United looked down and out after the first 15 matchdays of the 2020 K-League season. But all of a sudden, the Mariners are enjoying a two-game winning streak.

They won against Suwon Bluewings and Daegu FC via 1-0 scorelines, and they did it through their strong effort on both ends.

This time, they will face the third-seeded Sangju Sangmu team who are looking to cut the gap between them and Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

The military men have 28 points while Ulsan and Jeonbuk have 42 and 41 points respectively. Meanwhile, Incheon United are still at the bottom with 11 points.

When these two met last July, the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Sangju Sangmu led for majority of the game as Oh Se-hoon scored in the 48^th minute, but Incheon United scored the equaliser in added time through Eonkak Ji.

It was an admirable effort for the Mariners as they’ve shown nothing but grit all season, but can they hold on to dear life to avoid relegation?

Another test awaits them this Saturday and SBOTOP has you covered with today’s match preview.

Talking Points

Sangju Sangmu face a major lineup reshuffle

August 27 will be a big day for the military men as six players will finish their service.

This means that the Kim Tae-wan-coached squad will miss some vital cogs ahead of this weekend fixture – namely Kang Sang-woo and Han Suk-jong. These two have been vital to Sangju Sangmu’s campaign this season.

Kang Sang-woo, who came from the Pohang Steelers via loan, has been one of their main attacking threats. The 26-year-old notched seven goals and five assists in 16 games so far, and he is thriving as a winger despite playing full-back for most of his career.

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J-League

Meanwhile, Han Suk-jong has been influential for the military men and the midfielder is the team’s skipper for good reason.

These players will be sorely missed by the team, but they have the depth to try and fill the void.

Sangju Sangmu’s defence will remain intact thanks to the growing partnership of Kwon Kyung-won, Kim Jin-hyeok, and Lee Chang-geun, while their attack will be now led by Oh Se-heon, Moon Seon-min, and Park Yong-woo.

They’ve also added the likes of Park Dong-jin, Lee Jeong-bin, and Heo Yong-joon, which will bolster their attack that has only generated 21 goals so far this term.

Incheon United showing signs of life

Incheon United’s 2020 season hasn’t been exactly going as planned. However, their recent K-League 2020 results indicate that they are showing signs of life.

They picked up two straight wins against Daegu FC and Suwon Bluewings, buoyed by the superb outings of Stefan Mugosa and Song Si-woo.

Mugosa has been one of the team’s bright spots this term as the Montenegrin striker scored four goals in his last nine appearances.

He has brought life to the Mariners in these trying times, and he knows that there’s still a lot of work to be done as the season moves along.

Mugosa has recently been called up to play for Montenegro in the upcoming UEFA Nations League, which may see him miss a couple of K-League games. Once he flies back to South Korea, Mugosa would undergo a 14-day quarantine as mandated by the government.

However, the Korean outfit can breathe a sigh of relief due to a rule change by FIFA.

The rule change states that the mandatory release will not apply to clubs if the players must undergo quarantine for at least five days upon arrival at the country of that club.

History

Sangju Sangmu and Incheon United have played so far in 32 matches.

Incheon United surprisingly have the upper hand with 15 wins, whereas Sangju Sangmu won nine times along with eight draws.

The military men have yet to win against the Mariners in more than a year. Their last win dates back to May 2019.

Betting Tip

	Sangju Sangmu vs Incheon United	Under 2.25 @ 2.02
	August 29, 17:00 (GMT+8)

Sangju Sangmu are the significant favourites in this upcoming fixture, as per our K-League 2020 odds. They are priced to win at 1.89 in the 1×2 market while Incheon United are at 3.90 and chances for a draw are at 3.40.

Goals aren’t plenty when these two face off, which is why I will recommend for you to place your bets on Under 2.50 @ 1.97. You can also bet on Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.05 as well.

Although the military men are heavily favoured on this one, I am expecting this to be much closer than expected. It won’t be a walk in the park for them as they try to snap out of their funk.

But if they can replicate their effort in their reverse fixture earlier except for the last five minutes, Sangju Sangmu will win their ninth game of the season.