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| APYonhap News |
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| 출처=UEFA 홈페이지 |
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| ReutersYonhap News |
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| 출처=TNT스포츠 |
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Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham)'s shot, which led to Tottenham's decisive goal, was officially recognized as an assist.
The UEFA introduced that Son Heung-min scored one assist in the first round of the European Europa League (UEL) league phase in 2024-2025 against Tottenham and Karabakh at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 27th (Korea time).
Both the UEFA official website's review page and Son Heung-min's personal introduction page state that Son Heung-min played 71 minutes and posted one assist.
Looking back at Brennan Johnson's first goal in the 12th minute of the first half, Papesar's additional goal in the 7th minute of the second half, Dominic Solanke's net goal in the 23rd minute of the second half, Son Heung-min did not poke the last pass and the last cross to the scorer. But why was the help recorded.
There is an answer to the scene just before scoring his debut goal against the European club Solanki. Son Heung-min attempted a right-footed shot from the left diagonal point outside the opponent's penalty arc toward the goal during the counterattack.
The ball was skewed to the center of the goal, but it bent so sharply that it was not enough for the opposing goalkeeper Meteutz Kochalski to catch it. In the end, Kochalski made the choice to blow and hit the ball, and Solanke, who was in front of the goal, calmly pushed the ball out of the goal after hitting the goalkeeper's hand.
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| ReutersYonhap News |
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| ReutersYonhap News |
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UEFA's European club competition assistance regulations, including the Europa League and the Champions League, are different from general leagues such as the English Premier League (EPL). If it were the EPL, Son Heung-min's shot would not have been recognized as help, but UEFA recognizes it as help if a teammate puts a ball that hit the goal post or the opponent. Son Heung-min contributed to his team's victory by scoring an offensive point in the first match of his return to Europa in four years.
It is regrettable that Son Heung-min, who played only 71 minutes until the 26th minute of the second half due to his suspected injury, failed to open the opponent's net with two shots. Son Heung-min has been silent for five consecutive games, including the cup, since he scored a multi-goal and a matriarch goal of the season against Everton on the 24th of last month. He did not have enough shooting opportunities to shoot, with only five shots, including against Newcastle, Arsenal, Brentford and Coventry. He seems to be more focused on his role as a helper, creating three assists in the last two games and seven chances in a single game, the most in his personal career, against Brentford.
Son Heung-min reassured the fans after the game, saying, `It's okay.' As he is set to face Manchester United in the league on the 30th, it is speculated that he replaced it early on as a precautionary measure.
yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
