Koreans in Europe: Yang Hyun-jun regains Celtic spot just in time for first loss

Football

Published: 11 Dec. 2023, 09:06 Updated: 11 Dec. 2023, 17:52

Koreans in Europe: Yang Hyun-jun regains Celtic spot just in time for first loss

Celtic's Yang Hyeon-jun reacts during a UEFA Champions League match against Lazio at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on Nov. 28. [AFP/YONHAP]

Yang Hyun-jun returned to the Celtic squad on Sunday, rejoining the bench just a few days after being cast aside completely for his part in an abysmal start against St. Johnstone a week earlier.

But while Yang was back on the bench, it was still countryman Oh Hyeon-gyu who got the start in a 2-1 loss to Kilmarnock Sunday, Celtic’s first defeat of the 2023/24 season.

Oh played the full 90 minutes in the loss, marking only his second full game of the campaign. It was a bad day to earn that particular honor, with Kilmarnock getting two late goals — the first from a 75th-minute own goal — to take an unexpected win.

Yang was also on the pitch for both of the Kilmarnock goals, coming on in the 70th minute for Michael Johnston. The timing is especially unfortunate considering the young midfielder’s midweek banishment after the St. Johnstone game.

Yang, who joined Celtic over the summer, had been enjoying more exposure than his more experienced teammate. In 13 appearances this season, Yang has started seven times and clocked up 574 minutes on the pitch before Sunday’s game, significantly more than Oh’s 395 minutes.

But that much playing time has also left him open to more criticism, particularly after an unimpressive first half against St. Johnstone over the weekend that manager Brendan Rodgers said made him angrier than he had ever been as a manager.

Celtic went on to win that game 3-1 after going 1-0 down in the first half. Tellingly, Yang was the only player substituted during the break and he was subsequently completely excluded from the squad for the 4-1 win over Hibernian on Wednesday.

Celtic will not have much time to lick their wounds this week as they’re back in action Wednesday at home against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

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