*This content was translated by AI.View Original
South Korea national team "ace" Lee Kang-in (25) played the pivotal role of initiating the opening goal that dismantled Manchester United (England).
Atletico Madrid defeated Manchester United 2-0 in their second match of the 2026~2027 UEFA Champions League league phase, held on the 14th (Korean time) at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.
Having lost its first Champions League match, Atletico secured its first tournament victory by beating Manchester United at home. With one win and one loss (three points), the club climbed to 13th place in the league phase standings.
Lee Kang-in started the match on this day. In a 4-4-2 formation, he partnered with Argentine forward Julian Alvarez up front.
Lee Kang-in immediately showcased his strengths from the opening whistle.
Atletico scored the opening goal in just 47 seconds, and Lee Kang-in was at the heart of it.
Receiving the ball behind the halfway line, Lee Kang-in spotted Alex Baena making a run forward and threaded a precise long pass into the space behind Manchester United's defense.
Baena received the ball on the left side and advanced into the penalty box. Rather than rushing into a shot, he calmly passed to Pablo Barrios, who was surging in from the opposite side.
Barrios immediately converted the pass into a shot, scoring the opening goal.
A single pass from Lee Kang-in caused Manchester United's defense to crumble.
Spanish media also offered praise. Spanish outlet "La Vanguardia" noted that "the pass Lee Kang-in threaded into open space reached Baena," describing how Baena then "served the goal to Barrios with the composure of someone pausing in the eye of a storm to enjoy a cup of coffee."
In particular, the outlet marveled at the sequence leading to the opening goal—from Lee Kang-in to Baena and then to Barrios—calling it "a goal created in a laboratory."
This was high praise for Atletico's organized attack, where multiple players' movements and passes meshed with precision.
The outlet further stated that "Barrios was both the beginning and the end of Atletico's attack," noting that he "was protected by Jonny Cardoso and supported by Baena and Lee Kang-in."
It added, "Atletico's players move like a cube. But with every movement, they ultimately find the solution," lauding the team's cohesion.
Another Spanish outlet, AS, also praised the play, saying it was "a brilliant sequence started by Lee Kang-in." The report continued, "Lee Kang-in delivered an excellent pass to Baena. Lee Kang-in possesses exceptional skill when advancing the ball from deep positions."
Lee Kang-in played 61 minutes on this day. He completed 32 of his 35 passes, recording a high success rate of 91%. He succeeded in two of three long passes and recorded a total of 45 ball touches and one successful dribble. Football statistics site FotMob gave him a rating of 6.7.
In the 16th minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in was substituted off alongside Barrios, who had scored the opening goal. As the two players left the pitch, Atletico's home fans applauded them.
Atletico continued to press Manchester United thereafter.
In the 29th minute of the second half, Manchester United defender Leny Yoro was sent off for fouling Jonathan David in a final defensive situation, giving Atletico a numerical advantage.
In the 34th minute of the second half, Ademola Lookman scored the additional goal. The goalkeeper blocked David's shot, but Lookman did not miss the rebound and finished it off.
Ultimately, Atletico secured a comprehensive 2-0 victory, claiming its first win in the Champions League.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
