Back in Paris, France, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain)온라인카지노 made his Ligue 1 start. It was the first time Lee had started a league game since August. He played the full 90 minutes and helped his team win.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated Strasbourg 3-0 in the ninth round of the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on Sunday morning (Aug. 22). PSG took the lead in the first half thanks to a one-goal, one-assist performance from Kylian Mbappe. Fabian Ruiz added a late consolation goal to secure all three points at home.
The game was highlighted by Lee Kang-In’s return to Ligue 1 action. It had been almost two months since Lee had started in the league since August against Toulouse. He joined PSG in July and started the first two league games, raising expectations, but was sidelined for nearly a month with an injury. He returned in September, but left the team shortly thereafter to compete at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games (AG). He won a gold medal at the Games, but this time on Korean soil during the October A-Match. Lee started and played the entirety of the two October A matches (Tunisia and Vietnam), scoring three goals in each game.
Lee was back in a PSG jersey after a tough stretch. PSG coach Luis Enrique showed his excitement by starting him straight away.
PSG hosted Strasbourg in the ninth round of the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season on Nov. 22. PSG’s Lee Kang-in in the starting lineup. Photo via PSG social media
Lee started on the right wing. It’s a position he’s played consistently since joining PSG. Instead of leading the attack, he was more involved in the defense to help balance things out. This is because PSG’s main attacking resource is Mbappe on the left.
He was a presence in both the air and in the water. In the first half, he played sharp crosses and two-on-one passes, and in the 31st minute, he set up Mbappe with a long through ball. After receiving a pass from Lee, Mbappe sent a cross into the center of the box that was headed home by Carlos Soler. Lee’s pass set up the goal, and he went on to play a key role for the team, taking indirect free kicks and shooting from mid-range on scheduled set pieces.
Lee continued to play an important role in the second half, delivering incisive passes to Gonzalo Higuain and Mbappe, but none of the chances were on target. PSG then substituted Bradley Barca and Hammers in the 22nd minute of the second half when Ousmane Dembele was sent to the ground, shifting Lee’s position to the left. It was the same position he played last season with Mallorca (Spain).
Lee then focused on defending. In the 35th minute, he fouled an opponent’s counterattack, and in the 40th minute, he blocked a one-on-one breakthrough. He was punched in the face during the foul, but also received a yellow card. It was just before the end of the game that Lee Kang-in got his chance to make a decisive attack. On a counterattack, the ball was played through Lee and Ousmane Dembele to Mbappe. However, Mbappe’s pass was inaccurate and didn’t connect with Lee. The game ended in a 3-0 victory for Paris.
After the game, soccer statistics outlets Pompomp and Sofascore gave Lee a rating of 7.1 and 6.9 respectively. This was the lowest rating of any PSG starter. According to both outlets, Lee completed 91% of his passes (48/53), had one shot, one interception, two tackles, and seven recoveries. He was deployed on both the left and right flanks, playing a coordinator role with a wide range of activities.
French outlet Le Parisien also gave Lee a low rating of 4.5. However, fans reacted to the news on social media (SNS), saying, “The rating criteria is terrible,” “It should be at least a 6,” and so on.
Despite the media criticism, there are high hopes for Lee Kang-in. “He’s already shown what he can do for the national team and at PSG,” said coach Enrique at a press conference before the game, “He’s an all-round midfielder, but he can also play as a winger, fake striker (false nine), or shadow striker. He is good at finishing and making the final pass. A promising player.”
On the same day, PSG’s website and YouTube channel posted a video of Lee’s return interview. “PSG gave me the opportunity to play for Hangzhou AG,” Lee said in an interview with the club. My goal was to win a gold medal, and I’m very happy to be back, and now I want to do even better at PSG,” he said. At the same time, he added: “I can’t wait to play, I came to a big club in the summer. I want to compete and I want to make a good impression,” he said, adding that he was eager to play.
At the same time, he admitted that he is still going through an adjustment period. “The league, teammates, and manager are all different from last year. It’s a period of adjustment. I want to adapt quickly and help the team,” he reiterated.
“When I went to Korea to play an A match this time, I saw a lot of PSG jerseys,” he laughed, “so I’m very grateful, and I want to do better in the future to make fans,” he said.
After a two-month absence from the league, Lee is next in action against AC Milan (Italy) in the third leg of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League (UCL) Group F match. PSG is in second place with three points after winning one and losing one of their first two matches. Lee came on as a substitute in last month’s UCL first leg against Dortmund and played 10 minutes before departing for Hangzhou. PSG and Milan face off at the Parc des Princes on Oct. 26.