Attention, everyone! Did you see the bull form? Hwang Hee-chan, who scored 2G consecutive goals, became Pereira's favorite new coach with his skills, a very high-quality player!

Dec 30, 2024

'Did you just make fun of this kind of player on the bench?'

'Bull' is back in ace mode. The last game of 2024. It was also a "Korean Derby" against Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham Hotspur), a senior member of the Korean national soccer team who he usually respected and followed.

In the match, Hwang Hee-chan (28, Wolverhampton) scored a thunderous first goal seven minutes after kickoff. Two goals in a row following the last Manchester United match. It was announced that last season's 'Ace Mode', which scored the most goals in the team, has resumed. At the same time, he became the 'best' of coach Vitor Pereira, who took the helm of the new team.

Hwang Hee-chan started in the 19th round of the English Premier League (EPL) against Tottenham in the 2024-2025 season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, at midnight on the 30th (Korea time). As a result, a 'Korean Derby' with Son Heung-min, who was also included in Tottenham's starting offense, was completed.

Hwang Hee-chan's start itself is also meaningful. This is the first official selection in more than three months since the Carabao Cup match against Brighton and Hove Albion in September. Hwang Hee-chan was completely alienated from former coach Gary O'Neill's system this season.

O'Neill, who publicly showed his affection for Hwang Hee-chan last season and treated him as an ace, has completely changed this season. At the beginning of the season, Hwang Hee-chan was somewhat sluggish in the aftermath of his injury, so he did not give him a chance while pushing him to the bench.

This decision resulted in fatal consequences not only for Hwang Hee-chan but also for Wolverhampton. Hwang Hee-chan gradually lost his form, and he didn't even score a goal in the league until the 17th round. Wolverhampton, whose key striker disappeared, also fell to the bottom. In the end, O'Neill was fired on the 15th. Wolverhampton was 19th at the time.

Since then, the Wolverhampton club has brought in Pereira, who was in charge of the Saudi Arabian League al-Shabaab.

Wolverhampton found a clue to the rebound through this process. Since taking office, Pereira has given his team its first consecutive win of the season, taking advantage of players that former coach O'Neill has not used well. He led his debut match against Leicester City in the 17th round with a 3-0 complete victory, and won 2-0 against Manchester City in the 18th round, instantly raising the lowest-ranking team to the top 15.

In the process, Hwang Hee-chan's role began to emerge again. When Pereira gave him a chance, Hwang Hee-chan began to show a sharp sense of goal.

He was substituted in the 28th minute of the second half with a 1-0 lead over Manchester United in the 18th round and scored his first goal of the season. He then scored the first goal seven minutes after kickoff in the match against Tottenham, his first official start in three months. Hwang Hee-chan was on the side of the penalty arc during the free kick situation he got from the right corner of the Penalty Area and finished the ball pushed by his teammate with a fast and strong right foot shot. It hit the right corner of the goal.

Wolverhampton, who took the early lead with Hwang Hee-chan's first goal, failed to continue its victory in the end. But there was a lot to be gained. The final score was a 2–2 draw. With one point, Pereira's ' consecutive undefeated' record was also able to continue to three games.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 29, 2024 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira gives instructions to Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hwang Hee-chan Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..

Above all, it is of great significance that Hwang Hee-chan broke his long silence and scored a goal for two consecutive league games. Through this, Pereira's trust was firmly established. That's the trust O'Neill showed last season.

In fact, coach Pereira poured out praise for Hwang Hee-chan after the game.

Pereira said "Hwang Hee-chan is a high-quality player and very important to the team. I think he's a player who can score goals even if it's not a special situation"If Hwang Hee-chan becomes more confident, he can bring us more." It can be interpreted as meaning to give Hwang Hee-chan more opportunities in the future. Thanks to the goal in two consecutive games, Pereira became the coach's 'favorite player'.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.