Incheon thrash Kaya FC as Ulsan lose to Kawasaki Frontale

Incheon United's Stefan Mugosa, center, in action during an AFC Champions League group stage match against Kaya FC at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon on Tuesday. [AFC]

K League teams faced two opposing results at the AFC Champions League on Tuesday, with Incheon United grabbing a huge 4-0 win over Kaya FC and league leaders Ulsan Hyundai suffering a 1-0 loss to Kawasaki Frontale.

Incheon United thrashed Kaya FC 4-0 in their second group stage game at home, displaying yet another good performance in the tournament.

The players displayed solid cohesion during the first half, making tidy passes and crosses with more possession to open the scoring. Stefan Mugosa scored the first goal of the night, heading in a ball from a cross in the sixth minute.

Mugosa then extended Incheon’s lead after converting a penalty — given after a foul committed on him by Ricardo Sendra inside the penalty area — in the 19th minute.

Incheon still continued to look for more goals and created space with well-timed passes. Their attempts proved to be effective, with multiple players making efficient movements that led Hernandes Rodrigues to score right in front of goal in the 36th minute to end the first half 3-0.

Paul-Jose M’Poku also got on the scoresheet, smashing in a free kick into the bottom left corner in the 73rd minute to seal Incheon’s 4-0 victory.

This season is the very first time Incheon have played in the Champions League and they have secured two wins in Group G so far.

K League leaders Ulsan, on the other hand, failed to win a second group stage match in a row.

The match at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan offered less excitement than Incheon’s game, with Ulsan and Kawasaki both struggling to score during the match.

Ulsan instead faced a number of threatening moments, but goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo denied all the shots.

But a sudden shot by Kento Tachibanada from outside the penalty area in the 89th minute was out of Jo’s reach. That goal turned out to be the winner of the match, with the final score being 1-0.

Four K League teams are competing in this year’s Champions League: Ulsan, Incheon, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and the Pohang Steelers.

Jeonbuk will face Bangkok United in Thailand on Wednesday, while the Steelers will take on Wuhan Three Towns from China in Pohang, North Gyeongsang on the same day.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]