Due to Lee Kang-in's (24, PSG) injury, PSG has entered a state of emergency.

The South Korean national soccer team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo (56), faced Oman in the 7th match of the Group B third qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America at Goyang Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 20th. Despite Lee's sharp pass being perfectly finished by Hwang Hee-chan for the opening goal, the match ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw.

South Korea maintained a somewhat precarious first place in Group B with 15 points (5 wins, 3 draws). They could have confirmed their place in the World Cup finals early if they had defeated Oman and Jordan. However, the shocking draw against Oman delayed their advancement to the finals.

A greater loss than the draw is the injuries to Lee Kang-in and Baek Seung-ho. In the 38th minute of the first half, Baek Seung-ho was substituted due to a left hamstring injury. Lee Kang-in, who replaced him, suffered an ankle injury in the 34th minute of the second half.

Lee Kang-in, who was left out of the starting lineup, was urgently brought in as South Korea's attack struggled to break through. His abilities were needed to score the opening goal. Lee Kang-in met expectations by assisting Hwang Hee-chan's opening goal in the 41st minute of the first half.

However, Lee Kang-in twisted his ankle in the 40th minute of the second half and was substituted for Yang Hyeon-jun. Unable to properly place his foot, Lee Kang-in left the field with the assistance of staff.

Head coach Hong Myung-bo noted, "Originally, Lee Kang-in was not planned to play from the first half. The timing of his entry was moved forward due to Baek Seung-ho's sudden injury. We needed a resource to break the deadlock in the attack. Lee Kang-in's play was satisfactory."

The Korea Football Association announced on the 21st, "Lee Kang-in, who has a left ankle injury, was evaluated by the team physician, and it was determined that the severity is not serious. Coach Hong Myung-bo plans to observe Lee Kang-in's condition on the 22nd and decide on operations for the remainder of the training period."

If Lee Kang-in's injury is not serious, he is not expected to be released from the national team immediately. However, it is uncertain whether he will be able to participate in the match against Jordan on the 25th.

PSG is also on high alert. Reuters reported, "PSG is in trouble due to Lee Kang-in's injury. Ahead of crucial matches, both Lee Kang-in and Gonzalo Ramos have been injured. Ramos has withdrawn from the Portugal national team due to injury. The bigger problem is Lee Kang-in. He assisted in the match against Oman and then injured his ankle."

Reuters added, "Although Lee Kang-in was not a starter for PSG, he has played a significantly important role. His absence will expose PSG's issues in managing player stamina. Questions are also raised about the South Korean national team's match against Jordan."

Immediately, PSG has an away match against Saint-Étienne on the 30th after the A-match break. On April 10, the Champions League quarterfinal match between PSG and Aston Villa begins. Will Lee Kang-in be able to shake off his injury before that?

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