[골닷컴] Correspondent Kang Dong-hoon = Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min (30) felt frustrated during the game and took off his face protection mask at the risk of getting injured. This is the first time since he was on the operating table due to an orbital fracture in November last year.
Son Heung-min started at the home game in the 18th round of the English Premier League (EPL) in the 2022-2023 season against Aston Villa held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England at 11:00 pm (Korean time) on the 1st. On this day, he formed an offensive triangle with Harry Kane (30) and Brian Hill (21).
Son Heung-min showed a lighter body movement, such as boldly breaking through 5 minutes after kick-off. Then, in the 19th minute of the first half, he lost the ball near the half line and gave Aston Villa an opportunity to attack. In response, he ran straight ahead and made up for his mistake by succeeding in defending. After that, he took off his mask and threw it out of the touchline. It was because he felt stuffy, such as obstructing his vision.
It was a bold decision to take off the face protection mask in a situation where the injury has not fully healed yet and stability is the top priority. On the one hand, it can be seen as a strong will to show the best performance even at the risk of injury.
In fact, after taking off the face protection mask, Son Heung-min played an active role in the attack more actively. He struggled to create the most threatening opportunities possible, moving freely on the left and right flanks or narrowing down the center. However, because Aston Villa completely lowered the defensive line, he could not create an attacking point during the first half.
Son Heung-min suffered an orbital fracture injury in the 2022-2023 season European Football Federation (UEFA) Champions League (UCL) Group D Group D away game against Olympique de Marseille (France) held at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, France in early November of last year. suffered He ended up on the operating table, and was expected to have at least a month to recover.
A lot of worries and concerns followed, but Son Heung-min played the game wearing a face mask with a strong will to participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In addition to the hot weather, despite poor visibility, he showed his fighting spirit and led the team to advance to the round of 16.