A starter, not a bench player. Lee Kang-in (22-Paris Saint-Germain-photo), who has been transformed into a ‘Parisian’ this summer, made a spectacular debut in the opening match.

Lee started the opening match of the 2023-2024 French Ligue 1 season against Lorient on Thursday in Paris, France, and played until the 37th minute when he was substituted for Hugo Ekitiqe. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, but Lee was the team’s standout performer on the right flank with his sharp kicks, passes, and steady play.

Having proven himself in Mallorca, Spain, Lee made his debut for France’s most prestigious club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), in style.

Lee opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he darted between three defenders and delivered a penetrating pass to Gonzalo Hamus. In the 16th minute, he unleashed an audacious left-footed shot, and in the seventh minute of the second half, his mid-range effort went just wide of the post. He was also the designated kicker for free kicks and corners.

Although he didn’t register an attacking point, he was ubiquitous on both flanks and in the center of the field, spearheading PSG’s attack.

The Ligue 1 secretariat was quick to point this out. “The void left by Lionel Messi is still a big one, but Lee has done a great job of filling the shoes of the Argentine great,” they wrote in their match report, which they named “The Player,” meaning Most Valuable Player (MVP).

France’s Foot Mercato also gave Lee a 6 rating, the highest after defensive midfielder Daniel Ugarte (7), and said, “The Korean gem played to his strengths.”

Lee’s performance is easily confirmed by the numbers. Not only did he have the most touches of the ball (85) of any PSG player, but he also completed 88% of his passes, had three shots on target, three dribble breaks, one chance created, three recoveries, and one tackle.

On the flank, Ollie was limited to a 17% success rate on crosses. Lee attempted 12 crosses, including two from corners, but only two found their way to teammates.

Lee, a freshman who donned a PSG jersey last month, was expected to have a tough time competing for a starting spot on a team full of established players. He performed well, especially in the first preseason game, but a thigh injury kept him out of the lineup. However, Lee defied the odds and started from the opening game, impressing with his fearless play, indicating a bright future.온라인카지노

The turmoil surrounding PSG in particular hasn’t hurt him. Superstar Kylian Mbappe missed the game due to a falling out with the club, while Neymar also missed the game due to a potential departure to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal. Lee, who has quickly established himself in the team, could see his role in the team grow even more.