It's an amazing twist like a fairy tale.
The fairy tale setting that 'the ugly duckling' who was treated as a nuisance will grow into a beautiful 's swan' and be loved was implemented at the 2025 UEFA Super Cup.
Lee Kang-in (24), who was classified as a 'surplus resource' in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the winner of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League, became a hero who saved his team from losing. PSG won the Super Cup for the first time in its history thanks to Lee Kang-in's performance. In addition, coach Luis Enrique's 'foresight', who suddenly caught Lee Kang-in, who was seeking to transfer the team, is also surprising.
PSG won the 2025 UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur at 4 a.m. on the 14th (Korean time) at the Blue Energy Stadium in Udine, Italy, lifting its first Super Cup trophy since the team's foundation. The Super Cup is a match between the UEFA Champions League winner and the Europa League winner in the previous season to determine the winning team. It means that it will determine the 'strongest of Europe'.
It was a big twist. PSG fell behind 0-2 until the 40th minute of the second half, but they tied it and drove it to a penalty shootout. He then won the penalty shootout 4-3, making it a major upset.
It was Lee Kang-in who turned on the start of such a major reversal victory.
On this day, Lee Kang-in waited on the bench to start the game. Enrique launched a 4-3-3 formation. Usman Dembele was placed in the center, and Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratshelia were placed on the left and right sides of the front line. In the center were Desiree Doue, Vitinya, and Warren Zaire Emery. The four-back defensive line consisted of Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Marquignos, and Ashraf Hakimi. Luca Shvalier defended the goal instead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, who decided to leave.
Tottenham, led by manager Thomas Frank, came out with a 3-4-1-2. Frank put the three-back ahead of him. Hishalysong and Mohammed Kudus were the two-top players. Mata Papesar was placed on the second line. Jed Spence, Rodrigo Bentancur, João Palinha and Pedro Porro were then in charge of the midfield. The new three-backs were played by Mickey van der Penn, Christian Romero and Kevin Danso. Gugliimo Vicario came out as the goalkeeper.
Tottenham took the lead firmly. He lowered the defensive line, pressed strongly in the center, and gained the ball possession advantage. In the meantime, he continued to attempt a sharp counterattack. In the end, the first goal was scored in the 39th minute of the first half. A free kick situation unfolded near the half-line. Vicario Kiefer took charge of it and raised it to the door with a long kick.
Romero, who participated in the attack, connected it with a shot. However, the Schvalier keeper turned around and the ball hit the crossbar. Van der Penn pushed in with his right foot and scored the first goal. It's a set-piece tactic that was hard to see in the previous season. Tottenham finished 1-0 in the first half with Frank's tactics shining.
Tottenham scored an additional goal early in the second half. It was a set-piece goal again this time. In the third minute of the second half, Romero turned the cross from the prisoner into a header and pushed it into the PSG goal. I got hit by a chubalier keeper and went in. Tottenham seemed to be on the verge of 'Giant Killing'.
Even after giving up the second goal, PSG had not been able to create an opportunity to turn around for a while.
At this time, Enrique took out a replacement card to change the atmosphere. Following Fabian Lewis in the 15th minute of the second half and Ibrahim Mbaye in the 22nd minute, Lee Kang-in was put on the ground in the 23rd minute of the second half. Lee Kang-in played a role in creating creative attack opportunities in the second line. Coach Enrique, who suddenly caught Lee Kang-in in the second half of the transfer market, gave him a chance.
Lee Kang-in made a wonderful use of this opportunity. In the 40th minute of the second half, when the team was losing 0-2. Finally, a clue to the reversal came out from Lee Kang-in's toes. Lee Kang-in, who received Vitinha's pass from outside the penalty box, fired a left-footed mid-range shot. A powerful shot was inserted into the right side of Tottenham's goal.
This shot changed the air on the ground. Tottenham players' expressions, who were sure of winning, hardened for a moment. Don't you think you're going to be turned around, forgetting that you'll win if you last only 10 minutes until the second half extra time?The fear of ' dominated the head. Lee Kang-in's powerful mid-range shot panicked Tottenham.
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I'm watching PSG Lee Kang-in's mid-range shot shake the net with a despondent look on the face of Tottenham's Vicario goalkeeper. PSG, which was trailing 0-2 until the 40th minute of the second half, tied the game based on Lee Kang-in's goal and eventually won the penalty shootout to win its first Super Cup title ever.
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In the end, Tottenham focused on defense after Lee Kang-in's goal. Lucas Beribal was put in just before the end of the second half to strengthen defense. The extra time was given six minutes. PSG continued to push back from Tottenham's side.
An equalizer was scored. Hamus, who was rushing Dembele's cross to the door in the fourth minute of extra time in the second half, pushed it to the left of the goal with a header. Finally, it's a 2-2 tie. In the end, the game ended as it was, and the penalty shootout took place without overtime.
Lee Kang-in, who gave the team its first goal, was deployed as PSG's No. 4 kicker. PSG's No. 1 kicker was Vitinya. However, he missed out. Tottenham No. 1 Dominic Solanke, on the other hand, scored a goal. PSG was also dragged to 0-1. Both team No. 2 kickers Hamus and Bentancur scored goals, and Tottenham still led 2-1.
The turnaround came from the third and fourth kickers. PSG No. 3 kicker Dembele's shot led to the goal. On the other hand, Van der Penn's shot was blocked by PSG Schvalier Keeper. a 2-2 tie.
Tottenham's fourth kicker Matisse Tell's shot went out of the goal and there was a chance to turn the tables. Finally, it's Lee Kang-in's turn. Lee Kang-in was calm. He drilled the left side of the goal with a left footed shot. Vicario flew to the other side. Lee Kang-in completely deceived the direction. Finally, PSG turned the tide 3-2 over.
Pedro Porro, Tottenham's last kicker, scored again 3-3. But PSG's fifth kicker Nunu Mendes also scored lightly. PSG players jumped out to the ground and enjoyed the joy of winning the upset. Of course, Lee Kang-in was at the center of it. Lee Kang-in has been reborn as a key player in the perfect team due to this Super Cup.
Lee Kang-in was together in League 1, Coupe de France, and the Champions League treble in the 2024-2025 season. However, he was a non-mainstream member who could not play. They were together at the moment of the victory ceremony, but it could be seen as a 'free ride' in fact.
However, he proudly became the main player in this Super Cup victory. I could proudly lift the trophy and cheer.
In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Lee Kang-in will be at least more than 60% of the Super Cup come-from-behind victory. Thanks to these performances, significant changes in the team's position in the 2025-2026 season are expected. I'm sure I'll do my part with the 'Super Joker'. Coach Enrique is also likely to continue his trust.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
