15/01/2024
15/01/2024
AL-RAYYAN, Qatar, Jan 15, (AP): Paris Saint-Germain winger Lee Kang-in is used to being overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe at club level. Son Heung-min remains the icon for his national team South Korea.
But with two moments of individual brilliance against Bahrain on Monday, Lee took center stage at the Asian Cup. Not that he seemed comfortable under the spotlight after scoring twice in the second half to inspire South Korea to a 3-1 win in the Group E match.
“It’s not just about my two goals. All the goals we score are very important for the team. I would just like to say and highlight that it is not about individual performance,” a modest Lee said afterward.
His coach Jurgen Klinsmann was also restrained in his praise of the forward.
“If you score two in the opening game of the Asian Cup for us you deserve to be man of match and (it was) a very good performance. But I have to keep him on the ground every day,” he said with a smile.
It feels like there is no danger of success going to Lee’s head. And as members of the media crowded around after the post-match news conference, he was likely happy to see it was Klinsmann, the World Cup-winning former Germany striker, who was being mobbed with requests for selfies.
Lee was just trying to get back to the locker room at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Earlier he had scored two picture perfect goals to get South Korea off to a winning start in the competition the country hasn’t won since back-to-back titles in 1956 and 60.
The game was tied at 1-1 when he took control, giving South Korea a 2-1 lead in the 56th-minute with a left-footed shot from around 30 yards (meters).