Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player Lee Kang-in (24) showcased his weapon, passing ability. The team reached the final of the 2025 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Club World Cup. The BBC evaluated the match and admired that PSG has become a team that no one can easily stop.
On the 10th (Korea time), PSG defeated Real Madrid 4-0 in the semifinals held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Having secured a spot in the final, PSG will clash with Chelsea for the title at the same location on the 14th.
Lee Kang-in was substituted in the 35th minute of the second half after the team led 3-0. Although he played for about 10 minutes, he caught the attention of fans with a single pass. In the 42nd minute, he sent an exquisite lob pass to Achraf Hakimi, playing a pivotal role in PSG's fourth goal.
PSG deployed a 4-3-3 formation that day. Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia formed the front line, while the midfield consisted of João Neves, Vitinha, and Fabian Ruiz. The defense was made up of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Lucas Veríssimo, and Nuno Mendes, with Gianluigi Donnarumma guarding the goal.
PSG was relentless from the start of the match. They scored the first goal in the 6th minute. Doué's left cross was blocked by the defense, but Dembélé recovered the loose ball. Ultimately, Ruiz finished the play with a goal.
With their momentum rising, PSG quickly scored another goal. In the 9th minute, Dembélé intercepted a mistake by Antonio Rüdiger and calmly scored in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper.
Real Madrid, centered around Kylian Mbappé, attempted a counterattack but struggled against PSG's solid defense.
In the 24th minute of the first half, PSG shook Real's net again. Hakimi broke through the right flank and sent in a cross that Ruiz connected into a goal.
In the second half, PSG did not lose their momentum. With a comfortable lead, PSG substituted Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia for Bradley Barcola and Gonzalo Hamus in the 14th minute. In the 35th minute, Lee Kang-in was also brought on.
Lee Kang-in left a strong impression in a short time with a single pass. He delivered an exquisite lob pass to Hakimi from the right flank in the 42nd minute. Hakimi immediately sent in a cross, and after passing to Barcola, Hamus completed the attack with a shot, marking PSG's fourth goal.
PSG did not concede a single goal until the end of the match, securing a 4-0 victory without any goals against.
According to the football statistics site 'FootMob', Lee Kang-in touched the ball 13 times during the match, achieving a passing accuracy of 91% (10 successful out of 11 attempts), one pass in the attacking zone, zero ball recoveries, and a 100% success rate in ground ball contests (1 successful out of 1 attempt).
The BBC noted, "PSG defeated Real with overwhelming performance. They have become a team that cannot be stopped in speed, passing, and pressing." The report praised, "They triumphed 5-0 over Inter Milan to clinch the Champions League, and in the Club World Cup, they secured complete victories against Atlético Madrid (4-0), Bayern Munich (2-0 with 9 men), and now Real Madrid."
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