Koreans in Europe: Lee Kang-in gets first Ligue 1 goal

Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in, right, and Kylian Mbappe celebrate during a Ligue 1 match against Montpellier at Parc de Prines in Paris on Nov. 3. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

“He’s small but he can play,” was the ringing endorsement that Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique gave Lee Kang-in after the 22-year-old scored his first Ligue 1 goal for the club on Friday.

Lee scored the opener on Friday as PSG beat Montpellier at home in a very tide play that saw Achraf Hakimi slot the ball across the goal where Kylian Mbappe dummied and let it pass through his legs for Lee to fire into the net.

The move, which looked more like the chemistry of a seasoned squad rather than players who have only appeared in seven games together, got PSG on the scoreboard, with Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha adding a goal apiece in the second half to take the score to 3-0.

Lee has had an impressive few weeks.

Returning from a combined injury-meets-Asian Games absence that took him away from the team for two months, Lee has been started all three league game since his return — all wins for PSG — and been involved in a goal in two of them. He assisted Mbappe on Oct. 29 before adding a goal of his own this week.

Lee also scored in a UEFA Champions League game against AC Milan on Oct. 25, giving him two goals and an assist in four games since returning to Parc des Princes.

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