Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) is no stranger to big-and-small combinations. Hwang Sun-Hong also has Park Jae-yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai), a 193-centimeter striker.
‘Golden Boy’ Lee Kang-in joined the national team on July 21 and has been slowly preparing for his debut. He kept his physical condition a secret, but his facial expressions and body movements seemed lighter than expected. On the 22nd, he practiced simple drills in a small group, and on the 23rd, he actively participated in stretching and spinning the ball. His expression was also bright. Although the media was only allowed to watch the training for 15 minutes, Lee’s physical condition seemed to be better than his concerns.
Lee is likely to play against Bahrain in the third group stage match of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games at the Jinhua Sports Center in Zhejiang, China, at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lee returned from a hamstring injury against Dortmund (Germany) in the UEFA Champions League on Nov. 20. He only played about 10 minutes, so he will need to get more playing time. Now that Hwang has qualified for the round of 16, it’s the perfect time for him to improve his fitness and feel for the game.스포츠토토
Hwang’s attention now turns to utilizing Lee Kang-in. Lee is primarily an attacking midfielder, but he also plays on the flanks at times for his club and national team. However, Hwang Sun-Hong has a lot of options on the flanks, so he has a lot of potential in the attacking midfield.
In particular, he can be deployed in the second line, but he can also move up to the front and form a duo with a frontline striker. It’s a familiar ‘big and small’ pairing for Lee, who teamed up with the 6-foot-2 Oh at the 2019 U-20 World Cup. Lee was positioned slightly below Osahun, but was still able to actively lead the attack. Lee led his team to a runner-up finish with two goals and four assists in seven games, earning the Golden Ball (MVP) award.
It was a similar story at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year. He teamed up with Cho Kyu-sung (Meatwillan) to score two goals against Ghana in the second round of the group stage. Cho Kyu-sung is also a long striker at 188 centimeters. Lee Kang-in played both in the center and on the flanks. Hwangseon Hongho also has Park Jae-yong. Obviously, Park’s strengths are in ball-keeping and delivery. With a little bit of coordination, he and Lee Kang-in could be a synergistic combination.
Cho Kyu-sung of the South Korean national soccer team greets fans as he walks around the field with a disappointed look on his face after South Korea’s 1-2 loss to Uruguay in an exhibition match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on March 28.
Park Jae-yong welcomed Lee Kang-in to the team. He said in the mix zone after the second game, “Lee Kang-in has good skills and is a proven player. I just need to do a good job.”
Coach Hwang also had a plan in mind. “I have to determine his position through his training and practice. He needs to find a way to utilize Lee’s strengths as much as possible. It will be interesting to see if it will be a ‘big and small’ combination again.
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