"The most threatening!"
Belgian Sports noted on the 31st of last month (Korean time) that "O Hyun-kyu is one of the most threatening substitutes in Europe," praising his remarkable scoring efficiency and impact.
It added, "The scariest joker in Belgium is at Genk," stating that "O Hyun-kyu came on as a substitute in the match against Gent and scored a multi-goal within just 20 minutes, determining the outcome of the game."
It further evaluated, "Even when he starts on the bench, he always poses a threat to the opponent and has left a remarkable record across Europe."
O Hyun-kyu has scored a total of 9 goals in this season's Belgian Pro League, with an impressive 8 goals coming from substitute appearances. This statistic proves his standing as a 'tactical weapon,' not just a simple bench resource. Notably, he scored immediately after being substituted in matches against Union Saint-Gilloise and Mechelen towards the end of the season, and his scoring pace has sharply increased with his multi-goal performance against Gent.
According to the substitute scoring rankings in Europe's top eight leagues released by Sports, O Hyun-kyu recorded 8 goals in 25 substitute appearances, placing him second overall. The top position went to Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sørloth, who scored 8 goals in 16 substitute appearances.
In addition, O Hyun-kyu surpassed renowned players like Ferran Torres of Barcelona (6 goals in 14 matches), Mexx Mearidink of AZ (6 goals in 17 matches), Cristian Stuani of Girona (6 goals in 23 matches), Pedro of Lazio, and Daniel Mazzocchi of Hellas Verona to rank among the top scorers.
O Hyun-kyu maintains a remarkable record of 1 goal every 48 minutes when coming on as a substitute. Sports commented on this, stating, "O Hyun-kyu boasts a higher scoring efficiency than France's Ousmane Dembélé (1 goal every 72 minutes), Harry Kane (1 goal every 88 minutes), Robert Lewandowski (1 goal every 89 minutes), and Mohamed Salah (1 goal every 95 minutes). In terms of efficiency relative to match time, he has already surpassed Europe's top class."
Especially when compared to world-class strikers guaranteed full-time play, O Hyun-kyu's achievements 'coming off the bench' are even more impressive. He shows overwhelming focus and decisiveness even in shorter playing times, emerging not just as a substitute member but as a key solution for Genk.
O Hyun-kyu's destructive power has also garnered praise from his Genk teammates. After a resounding victory against Gent, Tolu, who spoke in an interview, remarked, "O Hyun-kyu came on as a substitute and scored two goals. Even on days when Nana or other starters are underperforming, he always saves the team. He is truly a reliable presence."
He added, "O Hyun-kyu has already recorded double-digit goals (12 goals including cup competitions) in official matches this season. This is an astonishing achievement for a player coming off the bench," and noted, "The reason our team is strong is because we have players like him."
O Hyun-kyu is demonstrating his presence at Genk as more than just a player brought in as a substitute. His ability to score crucial goals, as well as his impressive link-up play that creates opportunities for teammates, is noteworthy.
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