Lee Ho-jae is being reborn as the main character in Pohang Steelers, not as a supporting actor. Lee Ho-jae’s confidence and dreams are also rising.
At 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Pohang rose to the lead with a 2-0 home victory over Gangwon FC in the 22nd round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Pohang Steel Yard. It regained the upper hand in the lead-off battle, which was briefly lost to Kimcheon Sangmu and Ulsan HD.
Pohang, which struggled against Gangwon in the first half, secured the win by putting in Lee Ho-jae at the beginning of the second half. Lee Ho-jae met expectations in the fourth minute of the second half. He did not miss Kang’s defenders’ mistakes and connected a pass to Auverdan, who is in a no-mark state, to help him score the first goal. Following multiple goals in the 21st round with Daegu FC, he continued his good performance at home.
In an interview after the game, Lee Ho-jae said, “I was unexpectedly replaced in the second half with the tactics prepared by coach Park Tae-ha, but I had a mindset to do my part unconditionally. Luckily, I put pressure in and took it away, and Auberdan just saw and passed. Auberdan finished well and won the game.”
Pohang started the game without a one-top team. Lee Ho-jae was embarrassed by the somewhat unconventional tactics.
“Coach Park Tae-ha told me not to panic before the game. Instead, I was told to prepare because I was going to the second half unconditionally. As the coach said, I prepared with the mindset that I should play my role in the second half unconditionally,” Lee Ho-jae said without hesitation.
In his fourth year as a pro player, Lee Ho-jae is blooming well. He has already surpassed the number of offensive points (eight goals and one assist) since his debut in 22 matches so far this season with seven goals and four assists.
He has also recently emerged as a starting player, displaying his peak skills and playing the role of a foreign striker. “I waited with the mindset that if I get a chance, I will take good care of myself,” Lee said. “I don’t feel pressured to play the role of a foreign player. If I play my role well, it will help my team,” Lee said, acknowledging that the performance exceeded expectations. 먹튀검증
Lee Ho-jae is still hungry. He failed to score double-digit goals last season due to a two-goal gap, and he also has a dream to become a member of the A-team.
“I try not to set limits on myself. I want to score as many as possible. Maintaining the lead in the team is more important than the attack points. If you focus on the team, you will naturally follow the attack points,” he said. “If you are a Korean player, your goal is to be selected as a member of the national team. If I take it step by step, I am determined to play in the national team someday.”