*This content was translated by AI.
"If not for the goalkeeper, it would have been a hat-trick."
Korea national team ace Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid) left another strong impression by scoring his second league goal.
On the 17th (Korean time), Lee Kang-in started in Atletico Madrid's home match against Osasuna at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, and scored an additional goal in the 9th minute of the second half during Round 6 of the 2026-2027 La Liga season.
Atletico Madrid completely defeated Osasuna with a 4-0 victory.
Lee Kang-in started as the right-sided midfielder in Atletico's 4-4-2 formation and played the full 90 minutes.
His shooting accuracy was sharp from the start. In the 11th minute of the first half, he launched a dangerous shot, but it was saved by Osasuna goalkeeper Iñaki Fernández.
Even after that, Lee Kang-in repeatedly threatened the opponent's goal, but his efforts were thwarted by Fernández's consecutive saves and the opposing defense's physical blocks, leaving him with regrets.
However, in the 9th minute of the second half when his team led 1-0, Lee Kang-in finally found the back of the net.
During a quick counterattack by Atletico Madrid, Lee Kang-in penetrated deep into the penalty box. After receiving a pass from Jonathan David, he controlled the ball with a delicate first touch and precisely shot it into the opposite goal with his right foot.
It was his second league goal. Following his debut goal in the season opener against Málaga — which also marked his Atletico Madrid debut — Lee Kang-in once again fired his scoring machine in front of home fans.
Praise continued from local Spanish media as well. The Spanish outlet El Desmarque gave Lee Kang-in a rating of 9 points, stating, "It was one of the most complete performances since he arrived at Metropolitano."
The media explained, "He started from the right flank, linked up quickly and delicately with teammates, added forward momentum from the wing, and actively attempted long-range shots."
In particular, they highly praised his goal-scoring moment. El Desmarque noted, "He created a 2-0 lead with an excellent right-footed shot inside the penalty box," adding, "This attack began when Lee Kang-in personally regained possession of the ball."
That was not all. The media added, "If Osasuna goalkeeper Fernández had not made two great saves, Lee Kang-in would have taken the ball home."
In football, the expression "taking the ball home" refers to a player who scores three goals in a single match taking the match ball as a commemoration of their hat-trick.
In other words, it means that if not for the opposing goalkeeper's saves, Lee Kang-in could have recorded a hat-trick.
In fact, besides scoring, Lee Kang-in continuously tested the opponent's goal throughout the match. He attempted six shots over 90 minutes, four of which were on target. The remaining two were blocked by the opposing defense.
He made 51 passes, completing 39 of them, and created three clear chances. He attempted two dribbles, both of which were successful.
He was also active in defense, recording five ball recoveries, two tackles, and one interception, moving actively on both offense and defense.
Naturally, Lee Kang-in received high ratings. Football statistics platform FootMob awarded him the highest rating of 9.0 among all players on both teams. Another statistical site, WhoScored.com, also gave him the top rating of 9.2.
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*This content was translated by AI.
