Is it just Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in? Lee Dong-gyeong, who struck through the cracks, scored a fantastic free-kick: "I saw a gap in the defensive wall"... Made a proper mark in the final mock exam

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a refreshing "one-shot" that instantly turned the frustrating flow. Lee Dong-gyeong (29, Ulsan HD) showcased his presence with a spectacular left-footed free-kick goal in the final World Cup mock exam.

Ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings, South Korea secured a 1-0 victory against 100th-ranked El Salvador in a friendly match held at 10 a.m. (Korean time) on the 4th at South Field of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA, thanks to Lee Dong-gyeong's winning goal.

On this day, South Korea struggled with a lack of goals against El Salvador, who were objectively inferior in strength. They faced intense pressure from the opponent's front-line pressing and persisted with backline build-up throughout the first half, failing to find any openings.

Amid a flow that could have easily resulted in an unsatisfactory draw, Lee Dong-gyeong emerged as the savior. In the 12th minute of the second half, he took the free-kick opportunity from the right side outside the penalty box. As the kicker, Lee Dong-gyeong unleashed a delicate left-footed shot. The ball slipped past the defensive wall and shook El Salvador's net. It was a perfect goal that broke through the bloodline of the national team, which had been stifled by pressure.

Although the national team has excellent dedicated kickers such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Hwang In-beom, Lee Dong-gyeong also demonstrated his left-footed destructive power and earned Coach Hong Myung-bo's stamp of approval.

Amid a frustrating attacking flow, before key members like Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in were brought on, Lee Dong-gyeong was the one who injected the most vitality into the attack.

It remains uncertain whether Lee Dong-gyeong will start or sit on the bench for the upcoming World Cup finals. In this situation, Lee Dong-gyeong has proven himself as an attractive attacking resource. Expectations from fans for his continued performance at the World Cup have risen.

After the match, Lee Dong-gyeong stated in an interview with a broadcasting company, "I am happy to win in the final friendly match before heading to the World Cup finals. The short gap between games made it difficult, but we secured the result and completed good preparation."

Regarding the goal that broke the frustrating flow, he explained, "I saw a slight gap between the defensive walls. I thought about kicking confidently in that direction, and it hit the mark."

He continued, "Now, we must deliver definite results at the finals. We will prepare even better to bring great joy to the people," expressing his determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.