Pohang Steelers coach Kim Ki-dong 52, who celebrated his 50th anniversary, had little worries as he entered the second half of the year.

Pohang is racing ahead of expectations before the opening, but it is worried that it will be difficult to overcome the hot summer season due to limited power. This is because when rivals added power in the summer transfer market, Pohang had to wait for the return of injured players without recruiting them.

It was inevitable considering that Pohang made up for its insufficient budget with the transfer fee it receives from sending its main players every year. Pohang ranked only 10th out of 12 clubs in total annual salary 7.7 billion won last year.

However, Pohang maintained its second place until the hot heat died down little by little by little. The flaw is that there are more draws 4 than wins 3, but it is surprising that they are ahead of third-place Gwangju FC by eight points amid their unbeaten streak.

Hong Yoon-sang 21 can't be left out as the main player who dispelled Kim's worries. A former Pohang Youth, he entered Germany in 2021 and recently rejoined Pohang. Hong Yoon-sang left a strong impression on his fans even before his debut. In the home game against Hana Citizen in Daejeon on the 20th, he was substituted in the 35th minute of the second half and scored the winning goal by reversing the 3-3 tie with a 4-3 victory. In the away match of Gangwon FC on the 26th, he started and was responsible for the equalizer that ended the match with a 1-1 tie. Hong Yoon-sang's fast feet, scoring instinct, and connection with his teammates all stood out.

Head coach Kim said, "I'm a young player, but the quality of the play is different," adding, "I think I showed that scoring before my debut was not luck." 스포츠토토

In fact, Hong Yoon-sang was one of the first prospects among his peers in school. He moved completely as soon as he transferred to Wolfsburg, Germany, two years ago because he was recognized for his extraordinary potential. Last season, he also played 26 games as a loan player in another German team, Nuremberg, scoring 7 goals and 9 assists. Hong Yoon-sang said, "I was able to remain in Europe, but I decided to go to Pohang because I thought of playing soccer in a comfortable place because there were various problems," adding, "There is no difference between Europe and the K League." "I run with gratitude every day," he said.

Hong Yoon-sang, who has become Pohang's new engine, has also regained the Taegeuk mark. On the 28th, he was named to the Olympic soccer team consisting of under-22 U-22 players. The national team will play the first Asian qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 Asian Football Confederation AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifying round from September 6 to 12 in Changwon. Hwang Sun-hong, head coach of the Olympic team, is also known to have paid attention to Hong Yoon-sang's performance.