'Silent' Lee Kang-in substituted again with 30 minutes remaining... Atletico Madrid defeats Sociedad 3-0

*This content was translated by AI.

Atletico (AT) Madrid secured a victory away against Real Sociedad. Lee Kang-in of Atletico Madrid, who started the match, was substituted again without recording an attacking point.

On the 14th (Korean time), Atletico Madrid dominated Real Sociedad 3-0 in Round 5 of the 2026–2027 Spanish La Liga at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.

After losing 0-3 to Athletic Club (Bilbao) on the 5th, Atletico Madrid quickly turned their mood around. They moved up to fifth place with 10 points (3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss).

Lee Kang-in started as a right-side second-line attacker in a 3-4-2-1 formation but was substituted in the 75th minute without recording an attacking point.

Following substitutions in the 76th minute against Athletic Club and in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase against Liverpool, Lee Kang-in exited the field with 30 minutes remaining for three consecutive matches.

His streak of silence in attacking points continued for three matches since he recorded an assist in a match against Sevilla on the 30th of last month. Lee Kang-in will return to hunt for attacking points in a home game against Osasuna at 2 a.m. on the 17th.

Lee Kang-in started as a second-line wide attacker in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Ademola Lookman occupied the frontmost position, while Alex Baena was positioned on the opposite side of the second line.

In the fifth minute of the first half, Lee Kang-in directly threatened the opponent's goal with a sharp shot. After receiving the ball on the right flank, he cut inside and attempted a surprise left-footed shot. The shot missed the target, leaving him disappointed.

In the 25th minute of the first half, he created a scoring opportunity with a sharp cross. A left-footed cross from the right flank curled sharply toward the goal, where Morten Hjulmand connected with a header. The shot narrowly missed the target and did not result in a goal.

These two scenes featuring Lee Kang-in at the center were the most threatening moments created by Atletico Madrid in the first half. Otherwise, the match was marked by frustrating patterns as Atletico struggled against the opponent's fierce pressure.

The frustrating flow continued into the second half. Atletico Madrid, which had not seized control of the game from the outset, faced relentless pressure from Sociedad whenever they attempted to create chances. Even when shooting opportunities arose, they mostly came from outside the penalty box. However, Sociedad also failed to create decisive chances. The match was dominated by a dull back-and-forth exchange.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone substituted Lee Kang-in, Marcos Llorente, and Baena simultaneously in the 75th minute, bringing on Koke, Jonathan David, and Jonny Cardoso. Lee Kang-in left the field with a stern expression toward the bench.

The dull back-and-forth continued until the 38th minute of the second half when it was broken via a penalty kick. After an aerial duel, the loose ball struck the arm of Sociedad's Zubeldia Ochoa. The referee awarded a penalty kick and confirmed the decision after video review.

Kicker Alejandro Grimaldo completely deceived the goalkeeper to send the ball into the net. With the advantage secured, Atletico Madrid sealed the victory with consecutive goals from David and Giuliano Simeone in a counterattack situation near the end of the second half.

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*This content was translated by AI.