When he returned, the flow changed. The month-and-a-half gap was long, but the impact of the comeback was short and clear. The moment Lee Kang-in stepped onto the pitch, Paris Saint-Germain's attack began to consolidate again.
PSG defeated RC Strasbourg 2-1 away at Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, France, in the 20th round of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season on the 2nd (Korea time). They kept first place and widened the gap with second-place Lens again. Points 48(15 wins 3 draws 2 losses).
Lee Kang-in started on the bench. After injuring his left thigh in the Intercontinental Cup final in December last year, he concentrated on rehabilitation, and this match was his return to official competition. During the recovery process, transfer rumors to Atlético Madrid continued, but coach Luis Enrique blocked the negotiations themselves. The choice was to remain.
The early part of the match was tense. Strasbourg missed a penalty in the 20th minute of the first half after Marquinhos handled the ball. Goalkeeper Safonov saved Panichelli's shot to get through the crisis. PSG was the side that maintained the flow. In the 22nd minute of the first half, in a scramble, Maï'lu pushed the ball in to score the opening goal.
But the lead did not last long. In the 27th minute of the first half, Chilwell's low cross was finished by Doué to make it 1-1. After that, PSG's attack was not smooth, and Strasbourg created several threatening moments.
Enrique's choice was clear. Lee Kang-in was brought on in the 15th minute of the second half. From the moment he entered, the tempo changed. He received the ball on the flank, drove it inward and created passing angles. Immediately after coming on he took corner-kick duties, and in the 18th minute of the second half he threatened the goal with a turning shot.
The turning point occurred in the 31st minute of the second half. Hakimi committed a dangerous foul on Panichelli and was sent off after video review. Down a man, PSG actually raised its concentration.
Lee Kang-in was at the start and end of the winning goal. In the 36th minute of the second half, Lee Kang-in shook off pressure on the right and slipped an accurate pass, which Jair-Émery connected with a cross. Mendes, surging in from the opposite side, finished with a header. His ability to escape pressure, timing and quality of passing were all alive.
In the final stages of the match, Lee Kang-in also contributed defensively. On the right where Hakimi was absent, he directly stopped Moreira's run. Strasbourg's offensive continued until the end, but the goal did not open.
The statistics were plain. One shot, one key pass, 94% pass accuracy, two successful dribble breakthroughs. The meaning was greater than the numbers. He provided direction to the blocked flow and left his name on the decisive scene that defended the top spot.<
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