Lee Kang-in scores first goal in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in marked a significant milestone in his career by scoring his first goal for PSG during the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League, contributing to their 3-0 victory over AC Milan. This achievement was particularly noteworthy as it was Lee’s inaugural goal in his seventh Champions League appearance and his first in 12 matches since his transfer from Mallorca to PSG in July. Lee’s momentous strike came in the 71st minute when he replaced Ousmane Dembele on the field, and he found the back of the net with a precise side-footed shot from the heart of the penalty box, approximately 13 meters away from the goalpost. As PSG gears up for its upcoming clash with Brestois on Sunday in the French Ligue 1, Lee is poised to continue his pursuit of his first goal as well.

Lee’s previous experience in the Champions League dates back to the 2019-2020 season when he played five matches for Valencia in the group stage, although he didn’t manage to score during that period. The 22-year-old made his Champions League debut in September 2019 in a match against Chelsea, becoming the youngest South Korean player to ever grace the Champions League at the age of 18 years, six months, and 30 days. During this time with Mallorca, Lee did not have the opportunity to participate in the Champions League. With his goal in the recent match, Lee joined a list of South Korean players who have netted goals in the Champions League, which includes Park Ji-sung (four goals), Son Heung-min (19 goals), and Hwang Hee-chan (three goals).

In the wake of this remarkable achievement, Lee took to Instagram to express his excitement, posting, “What a magical night in Paris!” The match unfolded at PSG’s home ground, the Parc des Princes. French media outlet Foot Mercato lauded Lee’s performance, describing his movement as “more agile and explosive than Dembele.”


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com