Lee Kang-in made a successful debut for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), giving him the green light to compete for a starting role in the future. However, the team was unable to secure the three points in a disappointing draw.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) drew 0-0 with Lorient in the opening match of the first round of the 2023-24 French Ligue 1 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France, at 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
‘Set-piece specialist’ Lee Kang-In at the center of PSG’s attack
On the day, PSG deployed a 4-3-3 formation. Lee, Hamus, and Asensio lined up up front, with Vitinha, Urte, and Unai Emery in the midfield. The backline was Luca Hernandez-Skriniar-Danilu-Hakimi, with Donnarumma in goal.
Lorient countered with a 5-4-1 formation. Dieng led the way up top, while the midfield consisted of Lemar, Makengo, Aubameyang, and Fabregas. The defense was Legoff-Talbey-Laporte-Meite-Kalulu, with Mbogo in goal.
Lee Kang-in, who played the right wing forward position, showed his physicality early on. He was at the center of the attack, taking every set piece.
In the eighth minute, Lee won a breakaway and passed to Asensio. Asensio then set up Hamus, whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 11th minute, Lee provided a crisp through ball for Vitinha, who broke forward. In the 15th minute, Lee cut in from the right to the center, but his left-footed shot was blocked by a defender.
PSG was unable to find a rhythm in their attack. In the 36th minute, Lee Kang-in’s cross from the right was deflected behind and Luca Hernandez headed over the bar.
Lorient finally had a chance in the 42nd minute. Abergel intercepted a ball from Vitinha and tried to shoot, but his effort hit the post. The two teams went into the half scoreless.
Lee Kang-in made his presence felt in the second half. In the first minute of the second half, Lee picked up a ball that Talbi cleared with his head and immediately tried to shoot, but it hit Legov’s leg and a corner was called. From the ensuing corner, Lee Kang-in’s cross was met by Hamuth’s header that went wide of the goal. Eight minutes into the second half, Lee’s third attempt after breaking into the box was once again blocked by Laporte’s legs.
With the game unresolved, PSG coach Luis Enrique made a late substitution in the 24th minute, bringing on Soler and Fabian Luis for Asensio and Vitinha in an attempt to turn things around.
Another attacking opportunity came from the feet of Lee in the 30th minute, as Soler played a through ball to Ugarte after receiving a transition pass. Ugarte’s final shot was blocked by Mbogo. Two minutes later, Hamus’ header was also fruitless.
Lee ended his debut in the 37th minute when he was replaced by Ekitiqe. PSG switched to an extreme attacking tactic with the Hamus-Ekitiqe duo, but still failed to find the back of the net for Lorient.
Lee Kang-In, 3 successful dribbles – high passing ratio
After making his debut at Valencia at a young age, Lee unleashed his potential at Mallorca, where he scored six goals and provided six assists in La Liga in 2022-23 to reach double-digit attacking points for the first time in his career. His dazzling individual skills, breakaway runs, forward dribbling, and precise passing – he was second in La Liga in dribbling success – attracted a number of teams.
His final destination was the prestigious French club PSG. Upon joining the club, Lee became the most popular jersey on the PSG official store.
Lee started the first preseason game against Le Havre on March 22 and played 45 minutes, but missed three consecutive games due to a hamstring injury. After recovering from the injury, Lee came on as a second-half substitute in the final preseason match against Jeonbuk Hyundai in Busan on March 3, and improved his performance.
After not playing much under new coach Enrique this summer, Lee was expected to struggle for a starting spot early in the season, but he was named in the starting lineup for the Ligue 1 opener.
With the absence of Neymar and Mbappe, the centerpieces of PSG’s attack, Lee was able to take some of the weight off his shoulders. The lack of an attacking point was enough to make a strong impression on the fans.카지노사이트
Working left, right, and center, he had 85 touches of the ball, three shots, one chance created, three successful dribbles, and an 88.1 percent pass completion rate. Most encouragingly, he was the team’s designated set-piece kicker. It shows the trust that Enrique has in Lee.
On the day of the match, soccer statistics site Sofascore gave Lee a high rating of 7.4. Despite the pressure of his debut, Lee showed a calm and seasoned performance, showing that he is looking forward to the next round.