Lee Kang-in’s request for the secret to switching from the first half to the second half side, “Thanks to Coach Klinsmann for listening”
“Hat-trick? I’m more concerned about the team win than the goals”.
Jürgen Klinsmann’s men’s national soccer team cruised to a 4-0 victory over Tunisia at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday, with Lee Kang-in scoring a hat trick and Hwang Eui-jo netting a brace. It was Klinsmann’s first win at home in seven months.
Lee Kang-in was the star of the show. Lee filled the void left by captain Son Heung-min with his powerful offense and individual skills. In the 10th minute of the second half, Lee opened the scoring with his trademark left-footed free kick. Just two minutes later, Lee stole the ball from his opponent and hit a left-footed shot that rattled the net.
Lee Kang-in, who has always been a prolific assister, scored the first goal of the historic A-Match. As if that wasn’t enough, the game was turned upside down by the youngest player to score a multi-goal game. Kim Min-jae induced an own goal and Hwang Eui-jo finished off the scoring to give South Korea a 4-0 victory.
After the game, Lee Kang-in was officially named Man of the Match. There’s no denying that Lee was the best player on the field, as he exploded for two goals. Klinsmann deliberately replaced Lee with Sun-min Moon in the 44th minute of the second half. Lee finished the game to a standing ovation.
In his post-match interview, Lee said, “I’m so grateful for all the support. We got the most important team win and I was able to do my best. I will work harder to help the team win.”
“I didn’t think about it at the time,” Lee said, adding, “It wasn’t that I saw an empty space, but it was the best play I could make in that situation. I thought it was the best thing to do,” he smiled.
Lee Kang-in, who scored his second goal less than two minutes after his national team debut, secretly hoped for a hat trick, but it didn’t happen. “Actually, I’m not a good goal scorer. I’ve never played greedily for a lot of goals in the first place. The most important thing is for the team to win and I have to work hard for that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in has just recovered from a long-term injury. “I don’t know exactly how I’m feeling. I don’t know when I’ll be 100% and when I’ll feel bad,” he said, adding that he tries to avoid injuries and give his best performance every day.먹튀검증
“Injuries are actually not what I want,” Lee said. As I continue to play, I may get more injuries, so I try to take good care of my body every moment,” he said, adding, “I try to maintain good physical condition every time I train.”
Meanwhile, Lee thanked Klinsmann, saying, “He gives me a lot of freedom in every game, not only for me but also for the other players, and I think I play better when I do that.” “Thank you for listening to us,” Lee said.
Lee Kang-in, who played as a second top in the first half, was switched to the flank in the second half with Lee Jae-sung. “I asked the coach to change my position, and he listened. I’m grateful to the coach and Jae Sung-hyung for listening and reflecting on my story. The team victory is the priority,” he emphasized.