"Lee Kang-in always tried to receive the ball" — Positive reviews despite no attacking points... Atletico also secures a thrilling 1-0 win with a dramatic 89th-minute goal

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Korean national team "ace" Lee Kang-in (25) received favorable local reviews despite recording no attacking points. His club, Atletico Madrid, also secured a thrilling victory thanks to a dramatic late-stage goal.

Atletico won 1-0 in their away match against Espanyol in the 9th round of the 2026-2027 Spanish La Liga season, held at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on the 17th (Korean time).

The outcome was decided in the closing minutes. In the 44th minute of the second half, with the score tied at 0-0, Alex Baena scored a dramatic winning goal assisted by Julian Alvarez.

On this day, Lee Kang-in started as an attacking midfielder in a 4-3-1-2 formation. He was tasked with supporting Jonathan David and Ademola Lookman up front.

Lee Kang-in played a total of 62 minutes. Although he did not record any attacking points, he contributed to Atletico's offensive buildup through active movement.

Local Spanish media also evaluated Lee Kang-in's performance positively.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo assessed the performances of Atletico players after the match against Espanyol. Regarding Lee Kang-in, they described him as "proactive."

The outlet explained, "Lee Kang-in played as an attacking midfielder, constantly trying to create danger and always attempting to receive the ball."

In fact, Lee Kang-in touched the ball 58 times on this day. He completed 41 out of 44 passes, recording a high success rate of 93%.

Notably, he created three chances, tying for the most in the match. He also successfully delivered five passes into the attacking third.

He played a significant role in set pieces as well. Lee Kang-in took seven corner kicks for Atletico. He attempted six crosses and completed two accurately.

In the 16th minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in's clever heel pass led to a good opportunity. Marcos Llorente, who received the ball, fired a long-range shot, but it hit the crossbar, resulting in a missed chance.

Lee Kang-in also had direct scoring opportunities. He attempted two shots, one of which was on target.

However, Atletico struggled to break through Espanyol's defense even in the second half.

Ultimately, the match was decided just before full time. In the 44th minute of the second half, Baena, who received a pass from Alvarez, delivered a decisive strike. Baena's goal became the winner, allowing Atletico to secure a dramatic away victory and valuable three points.

With this result, second-place Atletico recorded seven wins, one draw, and one loss (22 points). They are chasing leader Barcelona (nine wins, 27 points) by a five-point margin.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original