Hong Hyun-seok, Awl Free Kick Silenced the Chinese Crowd

[Asian Games] ‘Awl Free Kick’ That Silenced the Chinese Crowd… Hong Hyun-seok “It Looked Like a Library”

Leading the way to the semifinals with a preemptive final against China... “I’m not good at taking free kicks, but I felt like it and volunteered.”

Midfielder Hong Hyun-seok (24, Ghent), who has already been called to the adult national team and recognized for his potential, opened the way for Korea to advance to the men's soccer semifinals of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games with his 'golden left foot'.

Hong Hyun-seok scored the first goal in the 18th minute of the first half to break the 0-0 score in the men's soccer quarterfinal against China held at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China on the 1st, leading Korea to a 2-0 victory. 스포츠토토

Hong Hyun-seok, who took the free kick from a good position on the right side of the penalty arc, shook the goal net with a spectacular left foot kick.

It was a heavy blow that played a decisive role in taking the lead in the early stages of a game that was very stressful in many ways because it was a match against China, which is famous for its rough play, which Hwang Seon-hong-ho had already experienced, and it was a match against the host country.

On this day, the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium was filled with Chinese home fans, and from the beginning, they had a one-sided cheering match, booing the Korean players whenever they caught the ball, but Hong Hyun-seok's free kick instantly silenced the audience.

Hong Hyun-seok, a former member of K League 1 Ulsan Hyundai's youth team Hyundai High School, is a next-generation midfielder who has gained experience on the European stage, starting with a loan at Unterhaching in the German third division in 2018.

He played for FC Junios in the second division, a satellite club of LASK Linz in the Austrian first division, and also played in the Linz first team, and has been playing for Ghent in the Belgian first division since last year.

Having established himself in Ghent since his first season, he has been named to the adult national team under coach Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) since the A-match period in June.

He made his international debut against Peru on June 16, and played against El Salvador four days later.

He also boarded the Klinsmann in the two-game international match held in Europe in September and took part in the match against Wales.

After returning home immediately afterward, he did not hide his confidence despite the forced march to prepare for the Asian Games.

Following the round of 16 match against Kyrgyzstan (5-1 win), he went on to score in two consecutive games in a single match.

Including the second match of the group stage against Thailand (4-0 win), this is his 3rd goal in this tournament.

On this day, he started in the midfield along with Baek Seung-ho (Jeonbuk) and completed his mission by not only attacking but also serving as a link until he was replaced by Jeong Ho-yeon (Gwangju) in the 31st minute of the second half.

Hong Hyun-seok, whom we met after the game, said, "I don't usually take free kicks, but when I scored a goal, I felt like 'I have to kick this,' so I told Baek Seung-ho that I would kick it."

“It seems like it’s lifting,” he said, laughing.

He made a 'shh' hand gesture to the audience and said, "When the goal was scored, the audience looked a bit like a library," and added, "I prepared the ceremony a little bit."

Hong Hyun-seok said, “We want to do something together, and I really like this team that is united with one mind.”

He said, “If you let me play, I will do my best in the remaining two games.”