Incheon United pulled off a three-peat by beating 'giant' Jeonbuk Hyundai. But captain Lee Myung-joo was injured. Incheon coach Cho Sung-hwan lamented that the injury was "irreplaceable" and cost the team too much. After undergoing surgery, Lee was ruled out for an extended period of time.

Lee Myung-joo was substituted out in the 33rd minute of the first half against Jeonbuk in the 10th round of the 2024 Hana Bank K League 1 at the Incheon National Football Stadium on Jan. 1. Kim Do-hyuk came on in his place and helped Incheon to a 3-0 victory. It was their first multi-goal game in five matches, after a four-match winless streak, and their first win over Jeonbuk in 872 days. However, Lee Myung-joo's injury was a bitter pill to swallow.

Lee collided with Jeonbuk's Jung Woo-jae in the 30th minute of the first half. Jung played a 2-on-1 pass with Jeon Byung-kwan on the left side of the center circle and tried to get into the midfield. Jeon's pass was long. Lee Myung-joo actively pressed and stole the ball. 스포츠토토 Jung Woo-jae couldn't slow down his run. Lee Myung-jae collapsed while holding his right breastbone. Kim Do-hyuk was surprised, saying, "He didn't even tie his soccer shoes. (Lee) Myung-joo is strong, so I thought he would get up, but he couldn't."

Head coach Cho Sung-hwan, who attended the press conference as the captain, had a grim expression. "It's not a happy situation," Cho said. After listening to the on-site doctor, it looks like a collarbone fracture," Cho said. It was a fracture. Lee underwent a two-day surgery. Depending on the severity, it is said that it takes at least two months for a broken bone to heal. Including rehabilitation training and regaining game feeling, he could be out for up to three months. "We'll have to wait and see how he does after the surgery to see when he can return," said an Incheon club official.

A blowout. Lee Myung-joo played 886 minutes in the 10th round. Despite leaving the game against Jeonbuk so early, he is still the team's top player. More than the goalkeeper. It's no exaggeration to say that all of Incheon's offense runs through Lee Myung-joo. The only player in Incheon who has more passes and forward passes than Lee Myung-joo is defender Yonichi. Lee leads the team in passes in the offensive zone with 103. He also leads the team in fouls called and is also in charge of corner kicks. Coach Cho Sung-hwan said, "I want to give him my collarbone. It could lead to a long-term injury. The rest of the players will do a good job, but..." he said. Kim Do-hyuk is there, but who is his backup?

The good news is that Kim Do-hyuk is back in form. Kim didn't play his first game until the fourth round of the season due to an injury. He even scored a goal against Jeonbuk. "I worked really hard on image training during my rehabilitation, and it showed in my play on the field, but I feel bad for Myeongju-hyung because he's sick. I hope there won't be any injuries," he lamented.

Head coach Cho Sung-hwan also has to look forward to Kim Do-hyuk right away. "Kim Do-hyuk is a player who has always shown good form except for injuries. It must have been hard for him because he didn't have a good winter training, but he did this when the team was in trouble. It must have been a relief for him as well. He will continue to play the role of captain in the absence of Lee Myung-joo and lead the team well," Cho said, expressing his support and hope.