Lee Kang-in scores equalizer for Mallorca in 1-1 Real Sociedad draw

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Lee Kang-in scores equalizer for Mallorca in 1-1 Real Sociedad draw

Mallorca midifelder Lee Kang-in celebrates after scoring the equalizer during a La Liga game against Real Sociedad at Mallorca Son Moix stadium in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Spain on Sunday.  [EPA/YONHAP]

Mallorca midifelder Lee Kang-in celebrates after scoring the equalizer during a La Liga game against Real Sociedad at Mallorca Son Moix stadium in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, Spain on Sunday. [EPA/YONHAP]

 
Lee Kang-in scored a crucial equalizer for Mallorca on Sunday, holding fourth-place Real Sociedad to a 1-1 draw in a La Liga clash at home in the Balearic Islands.
 
Carlos Fernandez fired Real Sociedad ahead in the third minute, giving the visitors an early boost that helped them dominate throughout the first half.
 
Lee’s chance came in the 50th minute when he slipped in behind defender Jon Pacheco, finishing well to beat goalkeeper Álex Remiro and take the score to 1-1.
 
Lee continued playing until the 82nd minute when he was substituted off for Antonio Sanchez. An increasingly desperate Real Sociedad went down to 10 men in the 90th minute with a red card for Mikel Merino, but it was too late for Mallorca to capitalize on the mistake and the game ended at 1-1.
 
Sunday’s goal makes Lee’s third in the league this season and his first this year — his two previous goals came on Aug. 27 against Raya Vollecano and Oct. 22 against Valencia.
 
Lee, a quick-footed midfielder known more for his playmaking than goal scoring skills, is in the midst of his best season in La Liga, setting new personal records for both goals scored and assists. His previous best season for goals was the 2019-20 campaign with Valencia, when he scored twice, and his best for assists was the 2020-21 campaign, also with Valencia, when he picked up three assists.
 
Lee has only ever played for two clubs, both in Spain. He has long been a fan favorite back home, where he has been seen as the future of Korean football since starring on TV show “Fly Shoot Dori” at just six years old.  
 
He moved to Valencia a few years after that appearance and spent 10 years in the academy before being dropped last year and moving to Mallorca.
 
Lee joined Valencia in 2011 and made the move up to the A team in 2018. In the 2020-21 season, Lee made 27 appearances for the club, many of them from the bench, but scored only one goal. But his failure to establish himself at the club was seen as more of a case of untapped potential than a lack of skill, and the team was slated in the Spanish press for failing to use him to his full potential.
 
Sunday’s game had some extra intrigue as it saw Lee briefly face Japanese winger Takefusa Kubo, although the two were only actually on the pitch together for about a minute.
 
Lee and Kubo are close friends, having bonded at Mallorca back in 2021 when they were the only two Asian players at the Ballearic Islands club. The two became close friends before Kubo moved to Real Sociedad in 2022 and reconnected on the sidelines of the 2022 Qatar World Cup last year.
 
Lee Kang-in is not Kubo’s only Korean footballing friend — he is also close to Suwon FC’s Lee Seung-woo and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ Paik Seung-ho, having come up together in the Barcelona youth academy.
 
Mallorca will be back in action on Sunday as they take on Real Betis in La Liga.

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