Incheon won 2-0 in the 5th Group G qualifying match of the "AFC Champions League 2023-24" (hereinafter referred to as ACL) against Yokohama at 7 p.m. on the 28th at Incheon Football Stadium. Incheon tied Shandong and Yokohama with nine points (3 wins and 2 losses), but rose to second place by leading Yokohama in the "winner win."
It was Incheon's last chance to advance to the round of 16. While the top three teams in the ACL group stage advanced to the round of 16, Yokohama and Shandong Taishan were both ranked first and second with three wins and one loss until Game 4. If they lost on that day, Incheon was confirmed to be eliminated. However, he won 4-2 away from Yokohama in the first round and won 2-1 at home, saving his hope of advancing to the round of 16.
Incheon took the lead in the 11th minute of the first half when Hong Si-hoo's shot shook the net. Incheon, which was taking the opportunity by defending firmly, opened the score with Hernandez's additional goal in the 21st minute of the second half. He gave up a chase goal in a corner kick at the end of the game, but he kept a one-goal gap until the end to win.
After the game, coach Cho Sung-hwan said, "I'm happy to give the fans a victory in the last home game of the season. The players did their best to satisfy themselves for this season and expectations for next season. The goal of passing the group stage was to make both fans and players united. "I will make sure to finish the remaining league games well," he said.
Incheon won with young players such as Park Seung-ho and Hong Si-hoo starting as the main players were injured. Coach Cho Sung-hwan said, "The players who are new to this kind of stage were worried. They were motivated in the preparation process, such as life and games. Hong Si-hoo is a player who can make the national team by age, and Park Seung-ho is the same. The performance came out because I was ready to sleep. I'm looking forward to next year more and I'm relieving the coach's worries," he praised.
On this day, goalkeeper Kim Dong-heon defended Incheon's goal with excellent defense. Manager Cho Sung-hwan said, "I told you to delay the time to join the military. I hope that the timing will be postponed so that I can play until the Kaya match because it is possible to act," he said.
