Lee Jae-sung wants Lee Kang-in to showcase his talent without pressure.
The South Korean national soccer team, led by Jürgen Klinsmann, will face El Salvador in the Hana Bank Invitational National Team Friendly at Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. South Korea is ranked 27th by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), while El Salvador is ranked 75th.
Klinsmann’s team suffered a 0-1 loss against Peru on Sept. 16. Klinsmann’s team is preparing for the match with the goal of beating El Salvador on Tuesday. The players arrived in Daejeon on the 18th and trained at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 5pm on the same day.
Before the training, Lee Jae-sung was interviewed. He reflected on the disappointing match against Peru and expressed his determination to win against El Salvador for the first victory since Klinsmann’s appointment. During the Q&A, the topic of Lee Kang-in came up.
Lee, who has been called the present and future of the national team, started the last match against Peru and led Klinsmann’s attack with a standout performance out of 11. On the day, Lee had two assists and one shot on goal, but was unable to rack up any offensive points. Against Peru, Lee made seven key passes, created two big chances, and completed three dribbles (four attempts). Despite South Korea’s loss, soccer statistics outlet Couch Score gave Lee an 8.5 rating, the highest of any player on either team.
After the game, Lee was visibly disappointed. When the final whistle blew, Lee shook his head and looked at his feet for a moment. In a post-match interview, Lee said, “I’m very disappointed that we didn’t win. The team’s victory is more important than anything else. In soccer, you play to win. That’s why I’m even more disappointed that we didn’t win. There is no good part. The disappointment is that we didn’t win,” he said.
Lee Kang-in will feel the pressure of the expectations placed on him. Lee Kang-in was born in 2001 and is 22 years old. He’s only in his third year of university, and the title of the current, future, and next ace of the South Korean national team is bound to feel like a burden. It’s a responsibility he’ll have to carry in the long run, but it’s likely to weigh on him now.메이저사이트
“I think it’s the role of the seniors and veterans to help him not to feel too much pressure on the national team and to enjoy showing off his abilities on the field,” Lee said, “I want him to play with ease.” He added that it’s the role of the seniors, including himself, to ease the pressure on Lee Kang-in.