*This content was translated by AI.
Lee Kang-in of the Korean national football team and Atletico Madrid, the 'ace', scored his second league goal and swept up the highest match rating. Praise poured in from local Spanish media as well.
On the 17th (Korea time), Lee Kang-in started in Atletico Madrid's home match against Osasuna at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, scoring an additional goal in the 9th minute of the second half during the sixth round of the 2026-2027 La Liga season.
Atletico completely defeated Osasuna 4-0 at home.
On this day, Lee Kang-in started as a right-sided midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation and played the full 90 minutes.
He moved lightly from the start. In the 11th minute of the first half, he took a dangerous shot, but it was blocked by Osasuna goalkeeper Iñigo Fernández's save.
Atletico took the lead in the 24th minute of the first half with an early goal from Jonathan David.
Then, in the second half, Lee Kang-in stepped up as the direct problem-solver.
In the 9th minute of the second half, Atletico intercepted a pass and quickly launched a counterattack. The ball moved from right to left, and Lee Kang-in penetrated into the penalty box.
Receiving Jonathan David's pass, Lee Kang-in controlled the ball with a delicate first touch and then accurately shot it into the opposite goal with his right foot.
It was his second league goal. After scoring his first goal in the season opener against Malaga, which also marked his Atletico debut, he once again tasted success in front of home fans. He now has two goals and one assist in six La Liga matches this season.
He did more than just score a goal. Moving between attack and defense, he showed his presence throughout the match and played a key role leading the team to a decisive victory.
Lee Kang-in attempted six shots during the 90th minutes on this day. Four of them were on target, while the other two were blocked by the opposing defense.
He made 51 passes, completing 39. He created three chances, one of which led to a decisive scoring opportunity.
He attempted two dribbles, both successful. His performance was not limited to attack; he also actively contributed in defense with five ball recoveries, two tackles, and one interception.
His performance translated into high ratings. Football statistics site FotMob gave Lee Kang-in the highest rating of 9.0 for both teams combined. Another statistics site, WhoScored.com, also awarded him a top rating of 9.2.
Local Spanish evaluations were equally enthusiastic. The Spanish media outlet El Desmarque also rated Lee Kang-in 9 points, stating, "He played one of the most complete matches since joining Atletico." They particularly praised his active involvement in attacks from the right flank and his ability to score himself.
Another Spanish media outlet, AS, offered an even more intense evaluation.
AS stated, "Lee Kang-in is a player with tremendous individuality and at the same time possesses outstanding quality," adding, "Atletico needed a player of this type."
They further noted his strengths: "He can protect the ball and provide composure to the team's tempo when needed."
AS did not stop there. They evaluated that "Lee Kang-in might be the best signing Atletico has made ahead of this season."
They added, "He also scored a great goal. If he continues to show this kind of performance, he will become one of Ra Ri-ga-reul (CEO) players."
Atletico did not stop their offensive pressure afterward. Robin Le Normand scored the third goal in the 18th minute of the second half, and Alex Baena added a fourth goal in the 37th minute to complete the 4-0 victory.
With this win, Atletico recorded four wins, one draw, and one loss (13 points), moving up to third place in the league.
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*This content was translated by AI.
