Yongin: South Korean midfielder Kang Sang-yoon beat himself up for missing out on chances to score his first international goal when he made his national team debut as a substitute against China on Monday. Then on Friday, Kang got into the starting lineup for the first time against Hong Kong for South Korea's second match of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship. The 21-year-old midfielder finally capitalized on his opportunity, scoring his team's first goal in a 2-0 win at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, 40 kilometers south of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this was a dream-come-true moment for Kang on many levels. "Ever since I was a kid, I've been dreaming of playing for the national team," Kang said. "I am really pleased that I scored a goal and we won the match. I was disappointed that I missed my chances in the last match, but I am happy to put that behind me now. This is just the beginning for me and I want to keep getting better."
Hong Kong's defense had frustrated South Korea until Kang broke through in the 27th minute. He took a pass from Seo Min-woo with his back turned to the goal, and then turned and fired a shot through the legs of defender Shinichi Chan. "Min-woo made such a great pass there," Kang said. "I looked to make a pass but I saw that my teammates weren't in good spots. So I just took the shot and luckily it went in. I am just happy the goal contributed to our win."
This was South Korea's second straight win at this four-nation tournament. The host country opened the event with a 3-0 win over China, and will close things out with a match against their long-time rivals Japan on Tuesday. "We can't afford to lose any match against Japan. That has always been my mindset," Kang said. "We will do whatever it takes to beat them."