*This content was translated by AI.
Korean attacking talent Lee Hyun-ju (Arouca), who plays in Portugal, recorded his first attacking point of the season. His club Arouca also climbed to the league summit, buoyed by Lee's performance.
On the 17th (Korea time), Arouca secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Moreirense in their second-round home match of the 2026–2027 Portuguese Primeira Liga at Estádio Municipal de Arouca in Arouca, Portugal.
Starting as an attacking midfielder in Arouca's 4-2-3-1 formation, Lee Hyun-ju assisted on the team's second goal, contributing to the win.
Arouca took the lead in the 23rd minute of the first half via an own goal by a defender. Seven minutes later, Lee recorded his first assist of the season.
Following a corner kick, chaos unfolded inside the penalty box. Lee, who gained possession, calmly passed the ball to the side. Jose Fontan connected with a curling shot that found the back of the net.
Portuguese media outlet A Bola reported on the scene: "Multiple scrambles for the ball occurred inside the penalty area after the corner kick, and Fontan eventually scored by putting the ball into the goal," adding that "Lee Hyun-ju recorded an assist."
Lee played 72 minutes, registering 32 touches. He completed 17 of his 21 passes, achieving an 81% success rate. He also recorded three shots and one chance created, touching the ball five times inside the opponent's penalty area to actively participate in attacks.
Defensively, Lee made two tackles and recovered the ball twice. Football statistics platform FootMob awarded him a strong rating of 7.6.
Arouca scored three goals in the first half alone, securing an early lead. In the first minute of stoppage time during the second half, Dylan Nandin added a fourth goal to seal the 4-0 victory.
Arouca's upward momentum since the season opener has been impressive. The club won both opening matches to accumulate six points. In the first round, they defeated Vitoria SC 1-0 in an away game. While scoring five goals across two matches, they conceded none.
Currently, Arouca sits atop the table with two wins and six points, level on points with FC Porto and Maritimo. However, with a goal difference of +5, they have overtaken Porto (+4) to claim first place in the league. Although it is early in the season, Arouca has risen to the top spot ahead of Portugal's traditional powerhouses, including Porto, Sporting CP, and Benfica.
This marks a welcome start for Lee Hyun-ju personally. This assist represents his first attacking point of the current league season.
A product of Pohang Steelers Youth in the K League 1, Lee Hyun-ju challenged European football by transferring to German powerhouse Bayern Munich in 2022. After loan spells at several clubs, he joined Arouca last summer.
In the 2025–2026 season, Lee appeared in 30 league matches, recording seven goals and three assists, establishing himself as a key attacking asset for Arouca.
Arouca's expectations for Lee Hyun-ju are equally high. According to Portuguese media outlet Record, Arouca invested 1.5 million euros (approximately 2.5 billion won) in acquiring Lee, which stands as the club's highest-ever transfer fee.
Lee has also been recognized for his potential with the South Korean national team. In November 2024, he received a call-up from former South Korea national team manager Hong Myung-bo and made his long-awaited A-match debut against Kuwait.
This summer, another promising Korean talent, Park Si-hoo, also joined Arouca. Park, who signed the club's first semi-professional contract in July last year as an attacker for Chungnam Asan, can play on both flanks and was awarded the Football Star Award at the 2025 Futures Star Awards held in November last year.
On this day, Park Si-hoo was named on the substitute bench but did not get playing time.
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*This content was translated by AI.
