"Only 12 minutes on the pitch, but he proved it properly" Hwang In-beom, 'decisive assist' just two minutes after coming off the bench... Portuguese local media also praise: "Made the most of his playing time"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Hwang In-beom (FC Porto), a midfielder for the South Korean national football team, clearly demonstrated his presence despite limited playing time. Praise continued from local media in Portugal as well.

Hwang's club, FC Porto, secured a 4-1 victory in their home match against Napoli (Italy) in the fourth round of the league phase of the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League (UCL), held at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, at 5:00 a.m. on the 5th (Korean time).

With this, FC Porto escaped from three consecutive UCL losses and recorded their first win. FC Porto, with one win and three losses (three points), ranked 26th in the league phase. Napoli remained at 27th with one win and three losses (three points).

Hwang was left off the starting lineup on this day and began the match on the bench. However, he delivered an impressive performance even in his short time on the field, contributing to the team's victory.

Hwang came on as a substitute in the 33rd minute of the second half when FC Porto was leading 2-1. And he recorded an attacking point just two minutes later.

In the 35th minute of the second half, FC Porto earned a corner kick opportunity. Hwang, who took the kick, delivered a precise cross with his right foot, and Jakub Kiwior leaped up to connect with a header, shaking the opponent's net.

It was a goal created by Hwang's sharp kick. FC Porto extended their lead to 3-1, solidifying their grip on the victory.

Hwang also showcased stable game management thereafter. In 12 minutes, he recorded 18 ball touches and a pass success rate of 92% (12 out of 13). He also created two chances and one decisive scoring opportunity. He delivered one accurate cross and won the ball back twice.

Although his playing time was short, he fulfilled his role in both attack and defense. European football statistics media FootMob gave Hwang a rating of 7.3.

Local media in Portugal also highly evaluated Hwang's performance.

Portuguese media Diario de Jogo rated the performances of FC Porto players against Napoli, assigning individual ratings. They gave Hwang a rating of 7.3, the same as FootMob.

The media also praised him, stating, "Hwang made good use of his 12 minutes of playing time," and noted that he "recorded one assist and created one decisive scoring opportunity, delivering 12 out of 13 passes accurately."

Another Portuguese media outlet, A Bola, also focused on Hwang's performance. On this day, FC Porto also scored the opening goal via a corner kick in the 11th minute of the first half. Jan Bednarek connected with a header from a cross delivered by Gabriel Veiga.

A Bola compared the first-half goal and Hwang's assist scene, stating, "Kiwior played Bednarek's role, and Hwang played Gabriel Veiga's role."

Thanks to Hwang's performance, FC Porto secured a 4-1 victory. Napoli defender Rafael Marin was sent off in the 44th minute of the second half, and FC Porto sealed the win with a penalty goal by Samuel Aghehowa in the 45th minute of the second half.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original