BBC was also surprised.
The British 'BBC' reported on the 2nd (Korean time) that "Yang Hyun-jun scored two goals and made a tremendous contribution," focusing on Yang Hyun-jun's performance.
Yang Hyun-jun entered the match as a substitute in the 20th minute of the second half during the Scottish Premiership Round 29 match held at St. Mirren Park in Paisley, Scotland, at 2:30 a.m. on the 2nd, showcasing an outstanding performance.
In his performance, Celtic secured a victory with a score of 5-2, gaining 75 points and extending the gap to 16 points over second-placed Rangers (59 points).
On this day, Celtic deployed a 4-3-3 formation. At the forefront were Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah, and Kyogo Furuhashi leading the attack, while Leo Hatate, Callum McGregor, and Thilo Engel complemented the midfield. The defense consisted of Shtrub, Austin Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Alistair Johnston, with Kasper Schmeichel protecting the goal.
Yang Hyun-jun was substituted in the 20th minute of the second half alongside Jota and McCowan, serving as an attacking reinforcement. And within just three minutes, he created a decisive goal.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, he finished a cross from Hatate with a precise header in front of the goal, scoring the team's third goal. He changed the momentum of the match instantly with a goal off his first touch.
Then, in the 31st minute of the second half, he received a pass from Hatate and shook the net once again with a right-foot shot, but unfortunately, the goal was disallowed due to offside. However, Yang Hyun-jun immediately contributed to the team's attack.
In the 43rd minute of the second half, after shaking off pressure near the halfway line, he made an accurate penetrating pass to Maeda, who perfectly finished it off to make it 4-2.
And during the added time in the second half, he shook the net once again. He perfectly timed a header from a cross coming from the left flank, recording a multi-goal performance in this match.
In just 25 minutes, Yang Hyun-jun recorded 2 goals and 1 assist, fulfilling the role of a 'game changer' that shifted the momentum of the match. After the match, he was selected as Man of the Match (MOM) and recognized as the best player.
Yang Hyun-jun's performance garnered significant attention even in the UK. In particular, British BBC praised him in a review of the match between Celtic and St. Mirren, stating that "Yang Hyun-jun scored two goals in the second half and made a tremendous contribution."
BBC noted that "especially the skills of Korean winger Yang Hyun-jun have notably improved. It will become increasingly difficult for Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers to exclude Yang Hyun-jun from the starting lineup," evaluating Yang Hyun-jun's recent form highly and indicating the possibility of him becoming a regular starter.
This season, under the management of Brendan Rodgers, Yang Hyun-jun has primarily come off the bench, but after scoring his first goal of the season in January, he has been gradually increasing his playing time and riding a momentum.
He has been particularly active recently, recording 4 goals and 5 assists in the last 7 matches. This upward trend is further increasing his chances of being called up to the national team.
Currently, coach Hong Myung-bo is assembling the national team roster ahead of the A match in March. Yang Hyun-jun has been excluded from the national team since the 2023 Asian Cup, but he has a high chance of seizing another opportunity to wear the Taegeuk mark again, showcasing peak performance on the European stage recently.
Attention is focused on whether Yang Hyun-jun, who is consistently delivering impressive performances on the Scottish stage, can successfully return to the national team.
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