There was no doubt about a healthy Hwang Hee-chan (27, Wolverhampton Wanderers). Despite his absence due to injury, he once again scored a goal, putting him on par with Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur). However, the team bowed its head once again. It looked like he was catching a big fish by taking the lead from the beginning, but there was no turnaround.
Hwang Hee-chan started in the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) 5th round home game against Liverpool held at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England at 8:30 pm (Korean time) on the 16th and scored the first goal in the 7th minute of the first half.
But I couldn’t laugh in the end. Despite Hwang Hee-chan’s first goal, Wolverhampton hung its head low, remaining with 1 win, 4 losses, and 3 points. Liverpool went on a 4-game winning streak and cruised to 4 wins, 1 draw (13 points).
Opportunity to be selected after a month, the weight on Hwang Hee-chan’s shoulders as the team’s top scorerWolverhampton came out with a 4-3-3 formation. Hee-chan Hwang, Matheus Cunha, and Pedro Neto formed the attacking triangle, while Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina, and Jean-Richner Belgarde formed the midfield. The back four were Nelson Semedo, Max Kilman, Craig Dawson and Rayan Ai-Nuri, and the goalkeeper was Jose Sa.
Hwang Hee-chan had the opportunity to start again after the Everton match on the 26th of last month. Hwang Hee-chan, who had been substituted at the end of the first half due to a hamstring injury, came on as a substitute in the second half of the game against Crystal Palace on the 3rd and scored the equalizing goal.
Although Hwang Hee-chan returned after completing the national team schedule, he was proudly named in the starting lineup that day. There was no time to exclude Hwang Hee-chan, as he was the team’s highest scorer with 2 goals in 4 games. Wolverhampton, who continued to struggle with scoring goals, was in 15th place with 1 win and 3 losses in 4 games. It was an important game that required Hwang Hee-chan to score a goal.
Liverpool also fought in a 4-3-3 format. With Cody Hakpo at the center, Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah were placed on the left and right, with Curtis Jones, Alexis McAlister, and Dominique Szoboslaui supporting them. The defensive line consisted of Andrew Robertson, Joe Gomes, Joel Matip, and Jael Quansaga, and the goalkeeper gloves were worn by Alisson Becker.
Liverpool is undefeated (3 wins, 1 draw) after winning 3-0 against Aston Villa on the 3rd. We met Wolverhampton as our opponent for our 4th consecutive win.
First Half: Side by side with Son Heung-min, there is no need to doubt a ‘healthy Hwang Hee-chan’… Wolves overpower LiverpoolSince last year, Hwang Hee-chan has suffered from injuries several times. Even after scoring a goal, he was injured and had difficulty maintaining good performance. Even in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where Korea advanced to the round of 16, Hwang Hee-chan rarely played until the game against Portugal.
Hwang Hee-chan, who had been serving as a substitute even after a recent injury, took the opportunity as a starter that day. Although there were not as many opportunities as expected, Hwang Hee-chan, who was not injured, was ‘as expected’.
In the 6th minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan’s toes shined once again. Neto completely passed two defenders on the left side and delivered a ground ball pass to the other side, and Hwang Hee-chan rushed into the empty space and finished neatly. He appeared to be blocked by Alisson, but the ball had already crossed the goal line.
Hwang Hee-chan flew powerfully and roared. His colleagues also flocked to him and enjoyed the joy together. He has already shown off his good goal scoring ability, scoring 3 goals in 5 games this season. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Son Heung-min (Tottenham).
In the 9th minute of the first half, he received the ball on the right side and lightly thrust a pass into space, showing off his light body play. He also showed a sacrificial spirit by coming down to the last line of defense and completely blocking Jota’s breakthrough. In the 28th minute, he received Neto’s cross and calmly received it with his chest, then aimed for a shot, but was blocked by the defense.
Neto and Cunha stood out in attack, including goals. Neto broke down the left flank several times and delivered sharp crosses to the attackers.
Cunha also stood out for his bold breakthrough, but the finish was disappointing. In particular, the scene where he could not even hit the ball on his head when he had a perfect header chance remained a regret.
They were ahead 8-5 in shots in the first half, and their perceived performance was far superior. Liverpool failed to create any significant attacking chances. The only disappointment was the goal-making ability to ignore the goal every time.
Second half: I scored a goal… Substituted out after 60 minutes, not getting sick is the top priorityThe failure to capitalize on numerous chances after Hwang Hee-chan’s first goal in the first half ultimately led to a painful result. In the 10th minute of the second half, in a defensive바카라사이트 situation, after a fight at the gate, Hakpo pushed the ball in from Salah’s foot, making the score 1-1.
Liverpool, who had brought the game back to square one, were 180 degrees different from the first half. They found their pace and Wolverhampton did not show the same momentum as the first half.
Hwang Hee-chan was substituted in the 15th minute of the second half. The ball rarely connected, but there didn’t seem to be any major problems with his condition. However, since Hwang Hee-chan was injured frequently, it seemed like a replacement at the management level. Wolverhampton changed the game by leaving out Cunha. Matt Doherty and Fabio Silva were brought in.
Wolverhampton was shaken sharply in the second half of the game. It collapsed in one blow. The fatal mistake was painful. Goalkeeper Jose Sa tried to kick in a hurry, but the opponent interfered and the ball was kicked clumsily and passed to the opponent. Salah, who caught the ball on the right side, lightly passed a pass with his outside foot to Robertson, who was rushing towards the goal. Robertson succeeded in a comeback by effortlessly pushing inside.
Wolverhampton made another mistake in extra time in the second half. Near the center line, Dawson lost the ball easily due to a physical fight and lost it to Nunes, and Salah, who caught the ball, gave the ball to Harvey Elliott, who was waiting on the right side of the arc. Elliott’s left-footed shot was deflected off the Wolverhampton defense, hit the goal post, and hit the net. Salah was involved in all three of the team’s goals, including two assists, and became a major contributor to the victory.
According to WhoScored.com, a statistics website specializing in European soccer, Hwang Hee-chan received the second highest rating of 6.9 among the team’s attackers, after Neto (7.9). Liverpool Salah received the highest rating from both teams with 8.4.