Hwang Hee-chan achieves double-digit goal in EPL season

Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton achieved double-digit goal involvement in a season for the first time since joining the English league.

On Tuesday, Hwang Hee-chan scored a penalty kick equalizer, leveling the score at 2-2 in the second half during the 13th-round visit to Fulham in the 2023-2024 season of the English Premier League (EPL). This crucial goal resulted from a direct penalty taken by Hwang Hee-chan as he penetrated in front of the opponent's goal. Having scored his 7th league goal of the season, Hwang climbed to a tie for 5th place in the EPL scoring chart. Notably, he is just one goal behind Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who is currently tied for third place with eight goals.

With the game's score, the 27-year-old footballer has achieved double-digit goal involvements in a season for the first time since his debut in the English Premier League (EPL) during the 2021-2022 season. Notably, Hwang, who previously scored one goal in the English Football League (EFL) Cup match against Ipswich in September, has increased his goal involvement this season to 10 (comprising eight goals and two assists). This milestone for Hwang, reaching double digits in goals and assists in a single season, marks a significant accomplishment, occurring four seasons after the 2019-2020 season when he played for Salzburg in the Austrian league. It's worth noting that Hwang transitioned to the EPL after his tenure with Leipzig in the German Bundesliga.

On this particular day, Wolverhampton conceded a penalty kick goal in extra time during the second half, ultimately losing 2-3. Despite the team's defeat, Hwang Hee-chan was named 'Man of the Match (MOTM),' recognizing him as the standout player of the day. Notably, it is uncommon for a player from the losing team to receive this accolade. In the MOTM fan vote, Hwang Hee-chan surpassed the competition from players including Willian, who scored two goals, leading Fulham to victory. Notably, on this day, soccer statistics media 'Foot Mob' awarded Hwang a rating of 8.2. It is significant to highlight that Hwang was the sole player from Wolverhampton to receive a score in the 8-point range, further emphasizing his exceptional performance despite the team's overall result.


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com