United’s Park Ji-sung Named Game MVP

“Lee Young-pyo made a mistake.”

Korea national team manager Dick Advocaat spoke after watching a Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur game that featured Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo from both sides of the field at White Hart Lane Stadium in London. “The two had earned international recognition even before coming to the U.K,” said Advocaat.

But he did not miss noticing the critical defense mistake from Lee Young-pyo 36 minutes into the first half. Park Ji-sung stole ball from Lee, and passed it to Wayne Rooney who scored the second goal of the match. Lee admitted that it was his mistake of not clearing the ball earlier that cost his team the goal.

The British daily newspaper The Guardian chose Park Ji-sung as the Man of the Match by recounting Park Ji-sung’s assist that led to Manchester’s game-ending goal. It also chose the moment of Park’s assist as the best moment of the match.

Won-Hong Lee bluesky@donga.com