‘Golden Boy’ Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca)바카라 celebrated his 22nd birthday with his first regular season offensive point in four months. Oh Hyun-gyu (Celtic), born in 2001, started for the first time since advancing to the Scottish Premier League and received favorable reviews for his excellent performance.
Lee Kang-in started on the 19th in the 22nd round of the Spanish Primera Liga against Villarreal held at Visit Mallorca Estadi in Mallorca, Spain, and played for 81 minutes, helping his team to win 4-2.
Lee Kang-in’s attack point came in the 11th minute of the second half when the score was tied 2-2. In a corner kick chance from the right flank, Lee Kang-in’s left-footed ball curved toward the goal and flew past teammate Dani Rodriguez’s head before shaking the net. It is the fourth help this season and the first offensive point in four months since the goal against Valencia on October 23 last year.
Lee Kang-in, who is recording 2 goals and 4 assists in the regular league this season, solidified his position as a key striker by assisting the winning goal. Whoscored.com, a website specializing in soccer statistics, said, “Lee Kang-in attempted a total of 29 passes and recorded a success rate of 86%. He also made two key passes (decisive chances that created scoring opportunities).”
The defense was also active. He attempted a total of five tackles and intercepted an opponent’s pass once to create a counterattack opportunity. The site gave Lee Kang-in a rating of 7.7, praising his performance. This is the third highest score among all players.
With Lee Kang-in’s dedicated performance, Mallorca, which added victory, took its 9th win (4 draws and 9 losses) this season, raising its season score to 31 points. The points are the same as Villarreal, but according to the league ranking rules, it rose to 8th place alone ahead of the winner-to-win principle.
After the game, Lee Kang-in had an unusual birthday celebration with the fans. On the way out of the stadium, several fans handed out birthday cakes prepared in advance and congratulated them. Lee Kang-in blew out the candles with a bright expression and celebrated his 22nd birthday with fans.
On the other hand, Lee Kang-in and his 2001-year-old Oh Hyun-gyu made a strong impression in front of Celtic home fans by getting the first starter opportunity after advancing to the Scottish Premier League.
On the same day, Celtic won 4-0 with Oh Hyun-gyu, who started in the 2022-23 season Scottish Premiership round 26 home game against Aberdeen held at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland.
Oh Hyun-gyu, who made his debut as a starter, failed to record an offensive point, but led the team’s attack with bold and active movements until he was replaced in the 18th minute of the second half and headed to the bench. He recorded a total of 26 touches on the ball, 1 opportunity created, 1 dribble, 1 tackle, 2 recoveries and 1 aerial duel.
Local broadcasters praised Oh Hyun-kyu’s fighting moves. Commentator Neil McKen said, “Oh Hyun-kyu is showing a strong presence early on.” He does his best to carry the ball into the box and actively plays with his back to the defender,” he praised.
Commentator James McFadden also said, “Oh Hyun-gyu doesn’t wait for the ball. When he receives the ball, he stands with his back, properly controls the defenders, and creates chances,” he praised as “a player who knows exactly where and what to do during the game.”