*This content was translated by AI.
It took just three minutes for Lee Ho-jae to turn his long-awaited first start into a goal. The South Korean striker made a powerful impression with his debut as a starter, firing off a goal-scoring burst.
On the 12th (Korea time), Darmstadt secured a 2-1 home victory over Arminia Bielefeld at Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor in Darmstadt, Germany, in Round 5 of the 2026–2027 German 2. Bundesliga season.
Most importantly, this match held special significance for Lee Ho-jae. Having appeared only as a substitute in all five official matches earlier in the season, he finally made it into the starting lineup today.
And he immediately responded to Darmstadt coach Florian Kohfeldt's selection with a goal.
Lee Ho-jae's goal burst erupted just three minutes after kickoff. After Bielefeld's defense committed a passing error, Noah Weißhaupt intercepted the ball and quickly threaded a pass toward the center of the penalty area.
Waiting in front of the goal, Lee Ho-jae did not miss his chance. Calmly pushing the ball forward, he shook the net for the opening goal — scored just three minutes into his first start.
This marked Lee Ho-jae's second goal of the season. Having transferred from Pohang Steelers in K League 1 to Darmstadt this summer, Lee had already scored on his debut against Holstein Kiel, netting his first goal on German soil. Although he went about a month without finding the net, he once again tasted success and made his presence felt with his first start.
German media outlet Welt also highlighted Lee Ho-jae's performance. The outlet reported: "South Korean striker Lee Ho-jae scored the opening goal just three minutes into his debut as a starter."
Today, Lee Ho-jae not only scored but also actively engaged with opposing defenders from the front line. He made 30 touches and controlled the ball three times inside the opponent's penalty box. In aerial duels, he won seven out of 12 contests (58% success rate), and in ground duels, he secured three victories out of five attempts.
He also fulfilled his role as a forward by drawing three fouls from opponents. He contributed defensively with one tackle, two interceptions, and one header clearance.
Lee Ho-jae took only one shot today, but he converted it directly into a valid shot and a goal, showcasing his high finishing ability.
Football statistics platform FootMob awarded Lee Ho-jae a high rating of 7.9 for his 76 minutes played up front.
Lee Ho-jae's opening goal also proved crucial for Darmstadt's victory. After struggling to secure wins since the season opener and lingering near the bottom of the table, Darmstadt finally recorded its first emotional win of the season in just five rounds.
With one win, one draw, and three losses (four points), Darmstadt climbed to 14th place in the league.
Notably, before this match, Darmstadt had lost three consecutive games without scoring a single goal. However, starting with Lee Ho-jae's early opening goal today, the team managed to score multiple goals and stage a comeback.
Darmstadt conceded an equalizer in the 14th minute of the second half through Marius Bülter, but Milan Smits sealed the victory with a decisive penalty kick goal in the 41st minute of the second half while the score was tied at 1-1.
Lee Ho-jae's contribution — shaking the net just three minutes into his first start — was also significant. The media stated: "With this win, Darmstadt can finally catch its breath."
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*This content was translated by AI.
