Hong Yun-sang (21-Pohang), the “next Hwang Hee-chan,” has been on a roll.
Recently, Hong Yun-sang wore the Taeguk mark again after a six-month absence. He was selected alongside Lee Sang-hyuk (Gimpo) for the U-22 national team’s training camp in Changwon on April 28 after Byun Jun-soo (Daejeon) and Kang Yoon-gu (Ulsan) were dropped from the roster due to transfer and injury, respectively.
Hong participated in the Doha Cup U-22 friendly in Qatar in March. He was not included in the squad for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, the first qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but has made a dramatic return.
Hong Yun-sang was already on Hwang’s roster, so his inclusion was not a surprise. However, it is analyzed that he was selected due to his recent performances in the K League.
His K League debut was a sensation. He came on as a substitute in the 35th minute of the home game against Daejeon at Pohang Steel Yard on April 20 and scored a theater goal just before the end of the game with the score tied at 3-3 to lead his team to a 4-3 victory. In the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time, he rattled the net with a sensible, slightly deflected header from Kim Seung-dae’s cross from the left flank. It was a goal that showed off Hong Yun-sang’s soccer sense.
Hong was not yet 100 percent, having played in Nuremberg, Germany, until last May, but he struggled to improve his physical condition and game feel before returning to Pohang this summer to make his debut. It wasn’t easy for Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong to pull out the Hong Yun-sang card. His debut also came after Ko Young-jun was sidelined with an injury.
Hong Yun-sang’s rise continued. He started against Gangwon on Sept. 26 and opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Wandelsson’s pass was met by Zeca’s exquisite heeled pass to the left side of the penalty box, and he split the net with an inside shot.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, however. He appeared at the U-17 World Cup in Brazil, but injuries hampered his performance. Choi Chul-woo, the coach of the U-17 national team at the time, said, “Yoon Sang-i had a lot of potential, but it was a shame that he was injured at the time. I think the pain became a springboard for growth. He overcame it with his own efforts.” 온라인바카라
Hong Yun-sang will be Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong’s “Heavenly Horse” after “God Ki-dong. Ko Young-jun was called up to the Hangzhou Asian Games team and will be away from the team for more than a month. He will miss five matches during the tournament, including four in the K League and one in the Asian Champions League. Hong Yun-sang will have to fill the void. Hong Yun-sang has filled the injury void to perfection.