Hong Hyun-seok scores a brace as Ghent beat Eupen 4-0

Football

Published: 10 Oct. 2022, 14:59 Updated: 10 Oct. 2022, 16:45

Hong Hyun-seok scores a brace as Ghent beat Eupen 4-0

An image posted by the official K.A.A. Gent Twitter account shows Hong Hyun-seok, right, celebrating with Andrew Hjulsager after scoring his second goal in a Belgian Pro League game against Eupen at Kehrwegstadion in Eupen, Begium on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korean midfielder Hong Hyun-seok scored goals three and four of his fledgling Belgian Pro League career on Sunday, hammering in a brace as K.A.A Gent beat Eupen 4-0.

Hong’s goals came in the 50th and 64th minute when K.A.A. Gent, known as Ghent, were already up by two after earlier efforts from Jordan Torunarigha and Laurent Depoitre. Hong played the full 90 minutes in the win.

Hong joined Ghent in August from Austrian side LASK in a deal reportedly worth 1.5 million euros ($1.5 million). The 23-year-old quickly made a name for himself in Belgium, scoring a stunning bicycle in his very first appearance on Aug. 12.

Hong went on to pick up his first assist two games later, on Sept. 1, scoring in the next game on Sept. 4 and picking up another assist on Sept. 11.

Hong, who was called up to the U-23 Korean national team for the first time this year, appeared in all three LASK games this season before leaving in August, picking up one assist and helping the club rise to the top of the Austrian Bundesliga with two wins and one draw.

Hong joined LASK in July last year and appeared in 23 games with the Austrian club, picking up five assists. He also played in eight Europa Conference League games, where he added two more assists and picked up a goal against Armenian side FC Alashkert in the group stage.

Hong is a rising star that has picked up three caps for the Korean U-23 team and played his youth career with Ulsan Hyundai in the K League. Before joining LASK he played for Austrian side Juniors OÖ and German club Unterhaching.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]