2 Korean players scored debut goals in France and Germany, respectively

In the counterattack by FC Girondins de Bordeaux French professional football club in League 1 at the 11th minute of the first half, South Korean footballer Hwang Ui-jo ran about 60 meters at a full speed towards the opponent’s net. Hwang, who caught a 40 meter-long pass from Samuel Kalu of Bordeaux near the opposing team’s penalty box, hit the net with his right-foot shooting. This was the first goal in the French league by the South Korean footballer nicknamed “Ui-jo of light” thanks to his explosive speed and super-accurate shootings.

With the goal scored by Hwang at the third-round away game of the 2019/2020 Season League 1 against Dijon FCO, held at the Stade Gaston Gerard in Dijon, France on Saturday, Bordeaux won 2-0. This was the French team’s first win after one draw and one loss after the League 1’s opening.

It took three matches for Hwang Ui-jo who transferred to Bordeaux from Japanese professional football club Gamba Osaka. “Hwang who faced criticism for having been unable to find the net regained his sharpness,” said League 1 on their official website. “It was a goal that made up for the lost time in fans’ expectations.” The South Korean player was replaced after spending 71 minutes on the field from the beginning of the match as a front-line striker. Fans of Bordeaux gave him a big round of applause and cheered as he left the field at the 26-minute mark in the second half.

Hwang was not the only South Korean football player who made a debut goal overseas. On this occasion, it was Kwon Chang-hoon in the uniform of SC Freiburg in the German football league Bundesliga. He transferred from Dijon FCO to the German team this year. Kwon stepped on the field at the 40th minute of the second half with his team leading the match 2-1 against SC Paderborn 07. Five minutes later, the South Korean player made a left-foot goal, reinforcing his team’s win, with a pass by his fellow team member Lucas Höler from the right side of the penalty area. Kwon who seemed to be put on the back burner for the list of players opening the match due to his calf injury before the opening of the season left a strong impression at his debut match, reigniting a competition for the starting line-up.

Goals by the two South Korean foot players are great news welcomed by the South Korean national football team, which will soon face the second round of the Asian qualifying for the 2022 World Cup to be held in Qatar. Hwang is one of the key front-line strikers of the national team while Kwon is a multi-player who can both play as a midfielder striker or as a side midfielder. The list of players who will represent the national team of South Korea at the friendly match with Georgia on September 5 and the first match of the second round of the Asian qualifications against Turkmenistan on September 10 will be announced on Monday.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com