“Of course, Son Heung-min…I’ll reach that level”
What did Yang Min-hyuk (18, Gangwon) feel while watching his future teammate Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham)?
Team K-League lost 3-4 to Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the 2024 Coupang Playoff Series at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on Nov. 31.
Dejan Kulusebski scored the opening goal and Son Heung-min had a multi-goal game. Ilyuchenko scored two second-half goals to give the team a fighting chance, but the result was a 3-4 loss.
The game was a “Tottenham showcase” for Yang Min-hyuk. Yang confirmed his signing for Tottenham on May 28 and will finish the 2024 season with Gangwon FC before heading to Spurs in the winter.
Yang Min-hyuk met with Tottenham on the pitch before his official signing, and he impressed the Spurs players and manager Enzi Postecoglou with his sharp shooting and dribbling on the left wing.
Yang Min-hyuk threatened the Tottenham defense with his quick dribbling from the start of the game. In the 22nd minute of the first half, with the score tied at 0-0, Yang received a pass in the middle of the field and, in a dynamic move, stripped the defense and advanced. As he streaked forward, he slid a pass to Yoon Do-young, who was penetrating down the right flank, but was unable to convert the opportunity into a goal.
Then, on a counterattack in the 26th minute, Yang Min-hyuk received a forward pass from Lee Dong-kyung and used his speed to advance into the box and unleash a powerful left-footed shot. The ball was unable to find the back of the net.
Even after Kuluszewski’s goal in the 29th minute, Yang Min-hyuk remained sharp. His K League teammates pushed passes to him at every opportunity, and he showed his strengths and showed his ‘grit’.
In the 42nd minute, just before the end of the first half, Yang 메이저사이트 Min-hyuk received the ball and dribbled before passing it to the penetrating Yoon Do-young. However, the ball was blocked by the defense and lost its power.
After going into the half trailing 0-3, Team K-League made a number of substitutions at the start of the second half. Yang Min-hyuk was also sent to the bench.
After the game, Yang Min-hyuk met with the media and was asked which player impressed him the most for Tottenham. “Of course, Son Heung-min, who scored the goal,” he replied.
“Son Heung-min impressed me the most. His shooting was really different,” he said.
Yang Min-hyuk said, “I felt once again that I am definitely good. It was a game where I realized that I need to reach that level as soon as possible.”
Team K-League didn’t take this game lightly either. Ilyuchenko, the K League 1’s top scorer, showed his finishing ability, and Oberdan’s fiery mid-range shot was also converted. “We are a team made up of the best players in the K League,” said Yang Min-hyuk. I don’t think we were outplayed,” Yang said, adding, “It was a short time, but it was good enough.”