Leipzig FC advance to semifinals

Leipzig FC of the German Bundesliga, the new team for Hwang Hee-chan (24), have advanced to the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the team’s establishment.

Leipzig beat Atletico Madrid FC 2-1 in a quarterfinal match of the 2019-2020 season, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday. Leipzig was rapidly promoted to join the primary league from the fifth league in the Bundesliga in just seven years after its establishment in 2009. The team secured third place for the latest two consecutive seasons, and emerged as a “dark horse” and has finally advanced to the UCL semifinals for the first time in 11 years since its founding. Leipzig will have a showdown with Paris Saint-Germain FC, which is led by Brazilian-born star player Neimar Santos Jr., on Wednesday to advance to the final.

After moving from Salzburg FC to Leipzig to join the Big League last month, Hwang Hee-chan did not have a chance to play in the latest match as she entered the team after the end of the UCL player registration period. Hwang, clad in suit and tie, took a spectator’s seat at the stadium, and cheered for his teammates on Friday. Hwang took photos of his teammates who celebrated their victory on the ground, and posted them on his Instagram after the event to share the joy of victory.

Watchers have said Leipzig lost some of its attacking capability after striker Timo Werner, who has 34 goals this season, left to join Chelsea FC (England) recently. Nonetheless the former defeated the time-honored prestigious team Atletico FC (three time runner-up in UCL), which was founded in 1903, by banking on its robust teamwork. After Dani Olmo scored the opening goal at eighth minute in the second half, the team allowed an equalizer at 26th minute in the second half. But Taylor Adams kicked an intermediate-distance shot with his right foot to score the final goal at 43rd minute.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com