“Taegeuk Warriors” Sweep the European League

“Taegeuk Warrior” Park Ji-sung (24, PSV Eindhoven, photo) has nothing to be afraid of.

In their home match against Vitesse in the Netherlands’ professional soccer league on April 24 (Korean time), Park Ji-sung led his team to a 3-0 victory, putting on a one-man show with one goal and one assist.

After the victory, PSV Eindhoven, with a record of 25 wins, four ties, and one loss (scores: 79), confirmed its 2004-2005 regular season championship by widening the gap in scores by 17 against Ajax, currently ranked second (Scores: 62). Ajax currently has so far played one less match than PSV Eindhoven. PSV Eindhoven earned its 18th regular season championship.

Park Ji-sung, who played from the start without “Taegeuk Combo,” Lee Young-pyo, who was injured, easily separated from the defense and scored a mid-range goal from 25 meters out at the edge of the goalmouth arc after receiving a pass from Van Bommel at the 23 minute mark in the first half. The goal was Park Ji-sung’s seventh goal in the regular season and a first goal of the game.

At 44 minutes in the first half, Park Ji-sung stole an opposing player’s pass from the left side of midfield and assisted on a second goal by crossing the ball with his left foot and passing the ball for a header by Van Bommel.

Guus Hiddink, who led Korea to “semi-final glory” in the 2002 Korea and Japan World Cup, once again proved his great coaching skill by putting PSV Eindhoven on the top of the regular season five times, including three consecutive regular season championships starting from 1987 to 1989, and the 2003 regular season championship. Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo enjoyed their second regular season championship, following their championship victory in 2003.

Meanwhile, “Cha-boom Junior,” Cha Doo-ri (25. Frankfurt) scored two goals in the match against Eintracht Trier in the German Bundesliga second division (league) alone on April 23.

Cha Doo-ri contributed to his team’s 2-0 victory by scoring both goals, one at the 38 minute mark of the first half, and at 20 minutes into the second half of the game. Cha has scored a goal in the three matches in a row, and yesterday’s goals were his sixth, and seventh goals. At present, Cha Doo-ri is a player on the rise, with five consecutive points (four goals and two assists), including an assist in the match against Greuther Furth on March 22.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com